Reap What You Sow
by FrictionFictions
Summary: "Your actions all have consequences." An OC story
1. Prologue

Author's Note: Comments and reviews and what not would be greatly appreciated, you know, so I know someone actually reads this therefore it is worth writing more.

The shrill screaming of the musical bells slowly clawed their way into my head, stirring me from my pleasant slumber. Lazily I snaked one fair hand out from the burrow of blankets I had nestled in and gently rested my hand against it, flicking the off switch with one fluid movement. Sighing in relief I rolled myself to the edge, my torso near falling off the bed, arms dangling, then gently sliding the comforting warmth and softness of fur. Drowsily sitting up and swinging my legs on to the floor, shivering at the coldness of the wooden boards. I raised my arms above my head, ensuring my spine and shoulders were thoroughly indulged in a gentle stretch. Finally awake and alert a smile crept up my face as I stood up and blindly reached for the electronic that had woken me. Running my hand over the device's exterior on my bed stand I seek out for the other switch, soon after upbeat music began to play.

I woke the same way every other day, but today unbeknown to me, my life was only creeping closer to its end.

I slinked out of my room, the music wafting after me as I padded over to the bathroom. Only to notice just how dimly lit everything was, leaning over the rail I gazed down to the lower floor which was flooded with suffocating darkness. The others should have been up by now. Shrugging it off and ignoring the pleading way my gut turned, begging me to stop, I walked into the bathroom and flicked the light on. The only sight was of blood and carnage as corpses twisted in all manners of unnatural angles, mouths still hanging open, releasing silent screams as they hung from meat hooks suspended from the ceiling.

My eyes slowly open as I sat up sighing, the same bells ringing as before, having experienced too many dreams of a similar manner to fuss anymore. Once again I started my morning routine, but the coldness of the florescent lights blinded instead of darkness as I treaded down the hallway. The clinking and clanging informing me that Scud was up. Turning on the shower, I sighed in content and washed away another strange dream from my train of thought, letting it sail across the sea of consciousness and far from me. Warm rivers caressing and drawing me out of my sleep-induced stupor, allowing the heat and energy to flood into me, filling me with vivacity once more. It was another day, actually afternoon. In just hours the sun would fall from her throne and be sieged by a moonless night with only the stars to adorn the sky.

Smiling knowingly I quickly turned the knobs, water flowing to a drizzle then stopping completely, conscience clean off any sort of evil I stepped out and immediately wrapped myself in a soft white towel. Today was the last night of the current show at the alternative theatre I worked at, the Court of Miracles. It was a quirky place, known for its unique shows that tempted its audience with roaring comedies, woeful tragedies and tumultuous romances. Not to mention the five-star dining and accommodation next door. Sure there were snags, parts could lack (not to mention actors) but it was always a rewarding experience…it also put bread on the table. "Lockhart" would finish today, and the next group would take over the stage for the next six months, I would be taking up the waitressing for a while. The third group would take over next, and we would start rehearsing whatever the writer and directors had agreed upon would be our next musical. I had once hoped to make it into the bigger broadways, Cats, Phantom of the Opera but…this was far more fulfilling. Not to mention that I never had to leave Prague, which meant I could still satisfy all parts of me as I patrolled the night and kept the naïve safe and innocent of the knowledge that things _did_ go bump in the night.

My name... is Viv.


	2. 1: Intruder Intruder

Scud was tinkering with the weapons and thinking up new ideas for how to kill those suckheads as quick and as painfully as possible. When the opening of the warehouse door and humming of an engine broke though the sounds of his cartoons and music.

Blade was back.

Finishing off his meddling and the last morsel of donut in his mouth he began to approach the dark vehicle that pulled up. In all of his leathery glory the Daywalker glided out of the car and to the trunk, opening it to reveal an old man with a long silvery mane. "You found him?" Nah shit Scud. Idiot! He berated himself in his head. But when the old man twitched he nearly jumped out of his skin as he hurriedly, almost disappointedly.  
"You didn't kill him?"  
He didn't even need to see Blade's face to realise he would have been better keeping his mouth shut.

As he helped carry the old fart up the stairs on Blade's instruction, passing by a certain someone's room he questioned,  
"You gonna tell her, or wait till she gets back?"  
"Wait till she gets back, she'd be better off not seeing him now or being here if this doesn't work."  
"She'll kill us for doing this in the first place anyway."  
"She'll understand sooner or later." Glancing back at the door he couldn't help but smile,  
"Yeah…But she'll kill us first."

So Whistler made it in the end, stopped, just like that. He was a tough old fucker, he gave him that much. So when he finally waltzed around the corner he made the effort of introducing himself, only to be almost immediately insulted about the quality of his hours of hard work on the pimp-mobile. Then turning to blade he casually asks,  
"Where'd you dig up this shit-bird anyway?" Walking past the old coot, hitting him on the chest to get him to move the side as he exited the room he retaliated,  
"What the fuck's your problem, poppy?"  
Whistler however only followed and started to get in to his face, clearly not the type to back down. Scud looks over to Blade for help, but he just watches, clearly intending to let the two of them sort things out themselves. Ass.  
"My problem, shit-bird, is that I tried to blow my fucking head off and wound up sucking blood clots for two years." As Whistler menacingly draws nearer Scud throws down his cigarette and takes an offensive stance with his arms raised, ready to take on the fucker. "And I get out to find some jerk-off fucking with my life's work!"

"Hey, we jeopardised our whole operation to save your puckered old ass!"  
"Our operation?" Whistler violently grabbed Scuds shirt and practically spat in his face, "Our operation? I built this operation, you ass-wipe!" Throwing Scud backwards by his collar, but before the confrontation could become any more aggressive an alarm suddenly starts beeping and the lights shut down with an electronic vroomph. A sudden symphony of yowls and hisses erupt from the hiding dozens of resident cats. Scud quickly checks a screen display, a little panicky despite the fury bubbling inside him. Scud shouts out,  
"Motion sensors. Looks like Zone Three gentlemen."  
"Human?" Blade responds coolly. Scud checks a series of thermal signature displays.  
"Body temp's fifty so I'll guess suck head." Blade puts on his iconic sunglasses and quickly disappears from sight. Scud looks at a collage of security monitors, the views break into static as a FIGURE rushes past them. He fervently tries a few keyboard commands and bangs on the computer screen. Whistler walks over and looks over Scud's shoulder,  
"Fried. They're using magnesium flares. They've got your security system scoped out." Whistler hurries off to the back of the room as he flings open the glass doors to a cabinet with a rack of weaponry. As he takes hold of a gun Scud moves to stop him.  
"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa, whoa, woad, whoa, whoa I don't trust you." As he attempts to snatch the gun off of Whistler, he is thrown to the floor by the force of the butt of the gun smashing in to his face. Spitting out the blood that was trickling in to his mouth and licking it off his fingers he glares at the aged man with all the intensity of an enraged bull.

When those acrobat fuckers came swinging from the rafters it certainly didn't help his mood. The bastard that hit him started raining down a storm bullets on to the two intruders, who swiftly avoided each on with cat-like grace. His mood however was temporarily lightened when one of the latex-clad figures smacked Whistler across the face and kicked him to the cement, until said figure pointed its own gun at him. Jumping on to his feet (and almost out of skin) Scud quickly raised arms in defense,  
"Woah, woah, woah, woah!" And Scud doing only what Scud does blurted the first thing that came to mind, "Cool outfit." Even if it did remind of The Blue Beetle with those red-lensed goggles. Clearly unimpressed with his response the gun-holder made a strange sound from within the mask as it crept closer, gun still aimed at him, causing Scud to start backing away with his hands still in the air. Then from somewhere in the darkness he hears Blade's voice,  
"God-lights." Blindly reaching out behind him, knowing his security system well enough, he slams his fist down on a button, activating a series of stadium-style lights secured to a false wall. The entire surrounding area nearly goes white with bright UV light. He can now see Blade who is battling it out with the other intruder. Scud can do nothing else but watch the fight through the cornor of one eye, and the figure in front of him with the other. Despite the fact that the ninja-wannabe was turned towards it's comrade, the gun was still aimed at Scud.

Scud grows uneasy, not just about his little defenceless hostage situation, but also because for the first time in the two years he's known Blade, he isn't sure if he's winning or losing the fight he's in. Both move too fast for Scud to keep up, so he is constantly glancing around the room trying to follow the figures. Suddenly his captor rips the cartridge out of the gun, throwing the two pieces in opposite directions. Within a heartbeat he can't even see him anymore. All action ceases when one shouts in vampiric. Whistler finally gets his ass off the floor, and quickly picks his gun back up, only to discover there is no cartridge. The intruders put away the weapons they were holding, sliding their swords back into their sheaths, Blade in turn places his behind his back, but not away.

"We represent the ruling body of the Vampire Nation…They're offering you a truce" One spoke in a distinct masculine voice, with a slight accent that Scud couldn't quite place his finger on. The male figure then knelt on the ground as he offered Blade some sort of cylindrical object from its satchel, while the silent intruder placed a hand on his shoulder either to reassure their partner or to simply rest it. Blade was quick to swipe and inspect it, before barking in his direction,  
"Scud." Taking a lucky guess Scud hesitantly switched off the God-lights, switching on the ordinary light bulb versions instead. Blade turned back to their ex-assailants,  
"Take off your masks." Surprisingly co-operatively they did, just that the male first, revealing dark skin and neatly trimmed, obviously maintained facial hair.  
"My name is Assad." He introduced himself, slightly gesturing to his partner he continued, "And this, is Nyssa." In both her stillness (in motion she just looked like a black blur to Scud) and her visible face Scud could now make out that the silent one was definitely a woman of exotic background.  
"You have been our most feared enemy," she spoke calmly, "But now there's something else that loose on the streets." Giving Blade what Scud could only assume was a defiant face she finished, "Something worse than you."

Just then the familiar sound of the ware house door opening and the revving sound of what could only be a familiar Vespa rendered the group silent. The revving got closer than stopped. After seconds of silence with the distinct sound of high heels clicked against the ground, a girl carrying a box of kittens crept round the corner. She considered the odd five with curious scrutiny as the kittens mewed. Blonde hair with subtle caramel tones was swept into a loose bun, some strand falling loose, reaching her small waist. A coat was folded on one arm, a sophisticated red silk dress gently flowing flatteringly around her form. Pale skin the warm colour of milk and honey almost glowed. But her large kohl-rimmed eyes of shimmering jade were staring intently at Whistler. She gently placed the box of felines on a nearby desk, and then practically threw herself at whistler.

"I thought you were dead! Two years of tracking you down all across Europe…" She pulled back from the awkward return of the embrace and said jokingly, "And you never even sent a postcard." She glanced back at Assad and Nyssa, "But who are the vampires?...And why are they dressed like ninjas?" Blade walked over and placed on hand on her shoulder, the other pointing at the box.  
"If you want to ask about keeping more of those, then you're going to have to come with us first." Nervously she looked up at the man that dwarfed her by a head, even in her stilettos.  
"Do I even want to ask where we're going?"

I had always disliked the way Blade used my affection for my furry felines as blackmail for just about everything. This is why I was now watching the city below us with morbid fascination, holding on to my seatbelt so tight that my knuckles were white. Whistler was smirking all too knowingly, while the vampire in front of me watched me, I was clearly amusing him to some degree.  
"Why so nervous."  
I looked across to him and mustered a smile and muttered, "I have a serious mistrust of machines...particularly ones that fly…and elevators."  
"Wuss." Whistler mumbled, casting him an evil eye I went back to observing the little lights below. Trying to think of them as resembling the starry night sky, and tried avoiding the thought that we were hundreds of meters in the air and if the helicopter malfunctions we will surely plummet to a painful and horrifying death.


	3. 2: Just Purrfect

At last, we finally landed on a helicopter pad with a large double-helix which was unusual, however it was located the roof of a what appeared to be a very modern and prestigious building, only typical of any high-class vampire. Both helicopter's passengers were guided by Asan and Nyssa towards the entrance, looking around it was extremely difficult not to notice the dozens of marksmen with their guns aimed at them. I tried to suppress shivers, I had foolishly forgotten my coat. Scud gave me a sidewise glance, before he drew closer to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, shielding me from the chilly winds. For an idiot who had almost blown up the warehouse on three separate occasions, he was uncannily good at detecting if there was something wrong or that I was trying to hide. Like now when I was trying to be brave in front of the vamps around us, repressing my shivers. Over his time with us he had become the big goofy brother I never really wanted in the first place, but was glad to have. Even if he did get a bit touchy, you would have though he was rendered celibate after his run in with the two more predatory kind of Ladies of the Night.

As we entered the door I gave his hand a squeeze, and then let it fall back by his side as we were led down multiple corridors. We soon approached a huge pair of steel doors, after cringing at the security spike things I drew a little closer to Scud, and slightly ducked behind Whistler.  
"The true power of the Vampire Nation lies here." Nyssa informed as some sort of unseen mechanical structure opened the doors. The man who was waiting for us was reading an old leather-bound book, flipping the page with one bony hand. "Father?" Nyssa inquired, to which he quickly silenced her with the raise of but a single long and clawed finger. Despite the thickness and fur trim of the robe he wore, the pale blueness to his skin made him look cold. His head was completely bald (and perhaps if the mood wasn't so serious, humorously shiny) and when he turned around, his face reminded me of a bat, pointy ears and all. This time Asad spoke,  
"Blade, this is Overlord Eli Damaskinos." Of course the elder vampire launched straight in to hissy vampiric, addressing to Blade directly, I always feel so excluded when they do that. But when he started talking English, his voice was hissy and sort of raspy anyway.  
"It has been said, 'be proud of your enemy and enjoy his success…in that regard I should thank you."  
"For what?" Blade practically growled out, not enjoying the familiarity and casual manner he was being addressed with. Footsteps could be heard echoing from a hall, soon a man with a well-kept, business man appearance stepped out. He looked oddly cheerful, in a plastic "I'm faking" way.

"Eliminating Deacon Frost." The newcomer stated. "You did us a favour." He reached out his hand to greet Blade formally, simply introducing himself as "Karel Kounen." Blade instantly flipped the other man's hand around, exposing a mark.  
"You're human?"  
"Barely," Krounen replied, "I'm a lawyer. European Health Consultant" Explains everything, I thought to myself. Damaskinos had at some point walked over to some jars with what would appear various body parts floating in them, drawing everyone's attention to him again he spoke while observing the jars.  
As you know, vampirism is an arbovirus, carried in the saliva of predators." Spread from us into the bloodstreams of humans. Then creates new parasitic organs-"  
"Like cancer." Blade hissed. Damaskinos suddenly, and seemingly quite deliberately cracked his wrist as he stared in silence at the Daywalker who had interrupted him, before tilting his head,  
"Cancer, with a purpose." Then he stalked away to another cornor of the room, one with a computer with multiple screens was set up. Kounen followed, gesturing the others to do the same while holding a disk of some sort,  
Unfortunately viruses evolve too, we've encountered a new one. We dubbed it the Reaper strain and like any good pathogen, it appears to have found a carrier." Placing the disk into some sort of reading device, he closed the lid and the all too familiar whirring sound could be heard. Which reminds me, I have some DVDs I need to return soon at home. We gathered around the screen in a line, feeling more relaxed I had forgotten about hiding. When I noticed that it would appear Kounen had just spotted me and was now staring at me instead of the screen, I made just the slight bit more of an effort to get closer to Scud and Whistler for comfort.

"Dress for the occasion?" The laywer inquired, Damaskinos now turned his eyes in my direction, as if only realising my existence now. I gave a brief moment of eye contact to both the man and the elder before replying meekly,  
"No, for a prior one." Then practically ducked behind Whistler, if there's one thing I've learnt is that attention was not something you wanted from a vampire…or his familiar. But as the computer began to beep and some sort of text appeared, all attentions were directed to the screen. Or in my case, mostly Whistler's back and side.  
"There," Kounen started, "Jared Nomak." All I could see was one cornor of the screen.  
"Born a vampire, but an anomaly like you." The elder turned to Blade, "Unlike the rest of us however, he feeds on not just humans, but vampires as well."  
"Looks like he was doing me a favour." Said Daywalker replied. Nyssa leant against the desk and turned to Blade as well,  
"You don't understand. They're vampire victims don't die, they turn. They become Carriers." Asad too turned to the Dhampir, it would appear that they're finally going to tell us (meaning Blade) what they want.  
"You've got to understand that these things are like crack addicts, they need to feed daily. Nomak's been out for only 72 hours, by our estimates, there are already a dozen Reapers. There'll be hundreds before the weeks out, thousands within a matter of months. Do the math."

"Wait, let me get this right," Blade was addressing all of the present members of the Vampire Nation, "You want me, to hunt them, for you?"  
"When they are finished with us, who do you think they will turn on next?" Damaskinos hissed, "You're precious humans. Not one of them will be left." Whistler and Scud exchanged looks, then turned to me, all three of sharing serious expressions. Kounen swivelled around on the office chair he had been seated at to look at Blade directly. Everyone just wanted to look at his pretty face lately it seemed.  
"We've spent two years training a small tactical unit, the Bloodpack, we want you to lead them." Blade cocked an eyebrow,  
"Two years?" Nyssa smiled sweetly before replying casually,  
"We've been training to hunt you."  
…Lovely. I was only too glad when it was time for us to leave, especially when I caught the stray eye of Kounen and his filthy smile.

Back at the warehouse we Hunters gathered at the weapon rack as all three men began to unload, I was stripping my feet of my stilettos. Scud was biting his thumb nail anxiously,  
"So B-man, what do you think?"  
"Sounds like a plan." Whistler gave him a knowing look,  
"What do you really think?"  
"They're gonna fuck us the first chance they get."  
"I hope not!" I call over my shoulder, feet finally free. Turning to my partners I cross my arms over my chest and sigh. "I really don't like that mental image. Damaskinos looked like a shaved bat that was left in an icebox for too long." Whistler chuckled before he hugged me,  
"Older or not, you're still the same kid I left." Then he was off to retire, I guess even though he'd been a sucker for two years his age still tired him. I watched as he limped down the steps, biting my lip while smiling, remembering the time I offered to help him. He replied that I'd be helping him with his knitting and crossing the road next. Scud shuffled on his feet as he leant against the balustrade and started talking to Blade. Yawning I walked past the two, waving them goodnight. It had been a long night, I was due for some much needed sleep.

As I opened the door I was greeted by the excited mews of the kittens, still in their box. Shades, the oldest cat I own was lazily staring at the babies, clearly he'd been minding them for me. But lying in the box was a surprise, Mimsy, who was currently bathing said kittens. Laughing I scratched her behind the ears,  
"Decided to be their Mom, Mims? Good girl." I carefully picked up the box, trying not to startle them as I laid it underneath my desk. Soon I was changed into my pyjama pants and a t-shirt, cuddling Shades as I drifted to sleep, noting that some of the other cats had entered the flap and were starting to curl up on my bed, one of them started to groom my hair. Cute. That was my last thought as I finally surrendered myself to the warmth and the lulling sound of purring.


	4. 3: Leather and a Bloodpack

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Author's note: So this is actually the first half of what would have been a very long chapter, so I've cropped it for the sake of pacing. I'm still tweaking the rest of it, but that will be up either tonight or tomorrow. Enjoy!  
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Banging, clunking and clanging is what woke me up today. Stumbling to my feet I quickly opened the door and tumbled over to the balcony, Scud was standing there banging on everything metallic. Looking up he grinned and held up a steaming cup of coffee.  
"Morning, sunshine." Whistler was already up and was tending to the Charger, apparently fixing whatever Scud had done to it. Blade was nowhere to be seen, which meant he must be in his room still. Groaning I slowly descended the stairs and gladly accepted the mug from Scud,  
"What time is it? Why are we up so early?"  
"Just past nine, and weren't you listening last night? The pack of bloodsuckers we're working with now are comin' over for a date. So Blade got me to do a little shopping." He winked as he reached under a desk and passed me an ambiguous black bag. "He's planning on hitting some suckhead hot spots, so he wants you to do some 'Kiss and Tell'." Grimacing I opened the bag, and pulled out a very small and revealing leather playsuit.  
"Dear God." Folding it over my arm I looked back at him, "I don't even want to know where you got this from." His only answer was a grin and a laugh as he started gathering his newest gadgets and gizmos and started packing them in to cases. With a huff I started to return to my room to reluctantly dress in what I sure was a BDSM fetish outfit.

First fishing for some stockings and assorted studded and leather accessories in my drawers, I finally slipped the suit on. First I had to pull it up from my legs, slip the collar around my neck. It was comfortable and allowed plenty of movement at least. As I finished lacing my boots I considered myself in the mirror, I needed some black on my face to balance out all the leather and lace adorning my body. Shades meowed at me demandingly from my vanity, walking over and gave him a kiss on the forehead as he proceeded to place his front paws around my neck and rub his face against my cheeks. Shades was the oldest cat and the first I had taken in from the streets, he was a mixed breed of some sort, fluffy and his coat looked more like a racoon's. His mask reminded me of Blade's sunglasses, hence his name. At first he was a wreck, wild, mangy and afraid...now he's just a bossy old sook, but definitely the most affectionate. I guess you could say he's the reason why I started my "collection" as Scud likes to call it.  
"I know, I'll feed you soon, just need a little something more." Glancing over to the kittens that were frolicking around my bed, I watched as they jumped, rolled, pounced and stalked when an idea came to mind. Inspired, I kissed the elderly feline once more and placed him on the bed and picked up my black body art pen.

Scud was grinning like a fool as he watched her door from the ground floor. Until Whistler stormed in to his view and gave him the evil eye as he swiped a ratchet, heading back to the Charger. Sure, since the old man been back Blade hadn't been so short tempered with the him, which was cool and all. But he sure as hell wasn't enjoying having the bastard around, watching him like a hawk only to tell him he was doing it wrong. Didn't matter what it was, fixing a gun that jammed, adjusting the crossbow, making a cup of coffee, everything he did he did wrong somehow in the senile old man's eyes…Nah, he's just an ass, Blade wouldn't have kept him around this long if he wasn't at least good at what he does. Blade was an ass sometimes too though, but always for a reason at least, when Scud actually screwed something up. But Whistler was an asshole all the time. Secretly he wondered if it would have been better if the bastard was still a bloodthirsty vampire when the sun came up. He had a long drag of cigarette he was smoking, god only knew how much he needed it, he was all sorts of worked up. But the nicotine hit only gave him a short reprieve, when Whistler came walking back in to view, the Bloodpack following. The she vampire known as Nyssa spoke to Whistler in a hushed voice and followed the direction where the fucker had pointed, Blade's room. As she left the other members wandered around the room for a bit, taking note of every little thing before they started to crowd around the table. He nervously gazed over at them as they started making themselves comfortable, gazing back at him knowingly for a second before they started conversing amongst themselves. Nyssa was already returning, standing next to Asad as she whispered something to him. Whistler walked over and leant against the wall Scud was on.  
"Keep on your toes Skid."  
"Scud."  
"Whatever."

When Blade finally entered, you didn't have to be a vampire to sense the sudden tension. This is probably why it was then that Viv sauntered out from her room and gazed down at the assembly taking place below, she had disappointingly hidden her outfit underneath a coat. She slowly descended the steps, her chunky combat boots making soft thuds, the sound triggered a tsunami of cats to rush over to her, meowing up a storm. She folded her arms and watched everyone else from the bottom of the stairs, her green eyes flashing. Asad took charge as he gestured to the group behind him and smiled at the Daywalker before him,  
"Blade, meet the Bloodpack.  
He stepped to the side a little to give the Dhampir and unobscured view, first pointing to a huge man with tattoos all over his face, "Lighthammer…" Next was a pretty girl with a fire truck red bob, who was stroking the chest of Lighthammer. Clearly they were an item. "Verlaine…" Last a group of four men who were gathered together. « Priest…Snowman…Chupa and Reinhardt." The last one turned his big old bald head and slowly started to approach Blade.  
"Listen, me and the guys were wondering…" Scud wasn't even sure he said anything else, but Blade tilted his head and replied.  
"What was that?" Reinhardt lowered his head a little, his voice no longer hushed as it reverberated off the walls and echoed around the warehouse,  
"Can you blush?"

You could practically see that little wall of self-control in Blade come tumbling down as he smiled, teeth bared. Viv sighed and exited the area as she started rummaging through the cupboards behind Scud, knowing all too well to expect a violent reaction from the Daywalker. Who chuckled back at the suckhead in his face and the ones at the table,  
"Oh, I get it. You've been training two years to take me out and here I am." He mocked a shiver, "Exciting, isn't it?" A tinkling sound distracted the Bloodpack from the impending confrontation. Viv was filling up the line of bowls that followed along the wall with cat food, dozens of cats crowding around her. Nyssa raised an eyebrow at her, Viv stopped briefly to stare back at the Pure Blood, smiling. Scud didn't miss the looks the suckers all shared as they watched, something between amusement and disdain. Blade, who had kept his gaze locked on Reinhardt, pulled a stake from his coat. What happened next was highly amusing for the Hunters, which ended with the sucker having an explosive device stuck to the back of his head. Blade turned to Nyssa and rubbed his hands together, actual excitement evident as he grinned,  
"So, where to?" Nyssa and Asad shared a knowing look before turning back to the Daywalker.  
"The house of Pain."

Viv crossed the room, just past the Bloodpack to slide a sheathed silver a pair of silver daggers in to each of her boots. Turning back, she found that the team of assassins were staring at her. Shrugging it off she walked over to Scud and led him to the workshop with a gesture for some privacy and gave a twirl laughing, "Do I look the part?"  
"Tear it up a little," He casually stated with his hand on his chin. Watching him I placed my hands on my thighs, dug my nails in and tore three jagged lines. He tilted his head, "Shoulders too." I complied, giving the shoulders matching tears before I winked at him,  
"Scud, Vampire Hunter, Inventor and Fashion Guru." She quickly put the coat back on as he gave her the birdy with a grin before pulling her over to a table,  
"I got something for ya." Pulling out a whip from the assorted mess she raised an eyebrow at me. "It's made with silver and some old rawhide I dug up, just give your wrist a good flick," He cracked it against a stack of empty wooden crates, she was clearly impressed when they splintered in to flying debris. "You'll be carving 'em up like a hot knife through butter. Also…" He mentioned the handle and twisted it, a ray of bright light beamed along the whip and shone from the handle like a torch. "Just a little UV for a little more bite, just be careful with it." He twisted it again to turn it off, "It's a little temperamental, so you'll be best only using it if you really need it." Grinning he slipped it into a holder hidden inside a leather belt, "Put this on, it'll hide it from view and when you need it just fish it out."  
"I think you have an unhealthy relationship with leather, Scud." She smiled as she wrapped it around her waist and tightened it, striking a model pose.  
"Pretty as a picture." He chuckled before pulling her into a casual one armed hug as he pointed in the direction of the van. "Let's go make some friends." But then Whistler appeared and stood in our way with his arms crossed, foot tapping on the ground as he stared down at Scud with a feral ferocity in his eyes.

"This," he pointed to the two of them, "does not happen." He growled as he pushed Scud back and led Viv away. In her head she was amused at the thought that Whistler was playing protective father and Scud was the boy he didn't want me hanging with.

"You're a good kid," The old Hunter whispered for only for her ears to hear as he glared at the approaching vampires and hissed cryptically, "Don't get too close."

I guess I should have taken that advice to heart, getting close is what would get me in to trouble.

A beeping in the security system had everyone jumping to their feet, I simply adjusted the coat I had just put back on and looked over to where the majority of the newly formed unit was standing.  
"Well then I'll be meeting you all inside."  
"How the fuck are you expecting to do that, warmblood?" I turned to Chupa, the one who had addressed me and pulled my hair behind my right ear to reveal a glyph.  
"It's fake but it'll do as a disguise. " I let my golden mane fall back in to place "As for entrance, let's just say I'm calling in a favour from an old friend."

With that I left the building, the suckers and the hunters behind as I approached a black limo. Over-the-top-in-fancy-factor, just as per usual with him. As I approached a distinct deep southern accent greeted me from inside as I opened the door, chuckling as a pale hand assisted me in,  
"Kiss and Tell Duty again?"  
"It was the amount of leather I'm wearing that gave it away, wasn't it?"  
"Where to?"  
"The House of Pain." With another deep chuckle he leant back in his seat and practically giggled,  
"You'll fit right in."


	5. 4: Flutter

Scalpels. Bodies. Razorblade Scalpels, bodies, razorblades and blood everywhere.

That was my first thoughts of the house of Pain, no wonder the man said I would fit in. Even without my coat I was still much more modest than over half of the people here. It seemed that every ther person in this place was swapping at least two different body fluids with another. Hell, I've even spotted the odd naked vamp or two. Exhibitionists I suppose. Despite the amount of enthusiastic bodies dancing the air was cold and stagnant, limbs as cold as ice brushed me as I made my way across the floor. A cold hand gently grasped my shoulder nds I looked up to dark eyes that reflected every movement and light that surrounded us. Inky locks gently flowed around his head to his shoulders contrasting with the fairness of his complexion, well-kept eyebrows adding sternness to his otherwise casual disposition. His designer black suit and red silk shirt and the several rings adorning his fingers was enough to inform all around him that he wasn't just a man, he was a very wealthy man. All this and his strong Sothern accent, he could be no other than Vincent Vinova.  
"You look tense, come one. We'll find a place for you to settle in." He pulled me along by the hand as walked over to one of the couches. At the sight of him the suckheads who had been previously lounging quickly got up to inhabit a different space of the large…whatever this place could be called. He sat me down beside him and whispered,  
"I'm probably better off not knowing why you're here exactly. But, any advice?"  
"Yeah, don't go near any bald guys with that look sick. If you see one, leave immediately."  
"That bad?"  
"Worse." We sat in silence as the music drummed out any other conversation in the room. Vincent was casually sitting there, arms and legs spread as he watched a few of the dancing vampires, particularly a distant redhead. I was discreetly surveying the crowd, looking for anyone who matched the description Scud gave me (after almost wetting himself when I told him why I didn't know, what with hiding behind Whistler effectively blocked my view of the video.) When Vincent nudged my shoulder and stood up,  
"Don't look now, but I believe you're friends are here. Now excuse me, I'm going to go get that ravishing redhead's name." As he left I looked towards the doors, finding Blade and the Bloodpack had just entered and were standing there. I deftly weaved my way through the crowd, batting off some straying hands of suckers as I slithered by. Blade nodded at me as I approached, Chupa started clapping and gave a snicker,  
"So, you're still alive… **but I bet you won't last the night**."  
"Shove off, why are being so mean? I bet you're over compensating for something with your bad attitude and oversized gun." I retorted, Reinhardt stopped Chupa's advance with a hand on the chest as Priest's eyes narrowed from his place behind the burly man. Chupa hissed from where he was, I was convinced that I may have actually touched a nerve there. "Hey, I'll be nice as long as you are. Quid pro quo." He merely hissed again.

Blade shoved a small bundle in to my hands, ending any further confrontation as I averted my focus to him.  
"Get socialising, see if anyone's seen anything recently."  
"Yes, sir!" I quickly geared up, I turned the earpiece on and heard the sound that could only be Scud eating donuts. Nodding at Blade I began to head off, only to have an arm quickly grab my arm gently. I turned to find Nyssa,  
"Be careful, keep an eye for anything suspicious." I gave her an incredulous look before I smiled,  
"This isn't my first time, I know what to expect."

With that I was off, if there's one thing I've learnt in my years as a Vampire Hunter. Drunk vampires are talkative vampires. So I took a breath and got in to character as I lazily rested my arms on the bench and addressed the bartender flirtatiously,  
"An Afterglow, please" He quickly glanced up for a second, just as I was brushing my hair behind me ear, a single glimpse of the glyph and he quickly started mixing. I let my hair fall back down slowly, catching the eyes of several of those around me. I got comfortable as I took a seat, subtly posing, ensuring I was as_, inviting_, as possible. Now I would just have to wait as I sit here and look as non-threatening and friendly as possible. It never takes long before I find myself with company, so I sipped at the drink and waited ever so patiently.

I watched her from across the room, blonde hair reflecting the red blue and green rays that beamed down from the ceiling, she appeared unarmed. I slowly weaved my way through the dancing, sweaty bodies, carefully avoiding the line of sight of the armed vampire that had entered with Blade. If I could just get close enough, I could catch Nyssa's scent. But as I drew closer, I noticed others eyeing her off with predatory stares…and a scent sweeter than anything my deprived senses had yet to take pleasure in. I paused, just a few meters behind her as my eyes trailed along every curve of her figure, the way her hair flowed down her back like silk. An itching in my fingertips began and had me fidgeting with the hem of my beaten and weather-worn jacket. I started to slink closer, reaching out for her. But then she turned…and I lost myself in the depths of eyes so green they glowed. I could do nothing but stare in wonder of her as I felt my brow rise and lips slightly part on their own accord, breath hitching in my throat. The scent was practically pouring out of her and it was causing my mind to go blank. My arm still hung in mid-air, frozen and still reaching for her. A wave of nervousness ebbed through me as she looked me up and down with those eyes that were so bright and lined in the spots of the wild cat, sizing me up. Then she smiled, just ever so slightly and caused a sensation to build with in me. I must have already been staring at her for a whole minute before I quickly took that one step closer. Gently touching my fingers to her cheek, my fingers lingered on her soft skin for but a few seconds and took a deep breath in.

At first I didn't notice him amongst the crowd, until He started to get very close and I caught movement out of the cornor of my eye. I casually looked over my shoulder, he stilled, eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlights. A hood covered the majority of his head but his face was pale, my heart quickened but… He looked too healthy for what Scud had described. His skin was ashy toned and actually held more colour than the majority of the others here. Only a few veins were laced across the skin around his eyes and attractively pronounced cheekbones. I quickly observed the rest of what was visibly a very masculine body, to find that although he dressed like a hobo, not a single drop of blood was to be found. Looking back up I noticed the scar on his chin, the only real abnormality, then looked him directly in his baby blue eyes and smiled. He couldn't be Nomak, he was too normal, too attractive and far too adorably awestruck at the moment. His gaze faltered for a second, before he raised his eyes from the ground and all too suddenly was touching me. A fluttering in my chest had me softly gasping. His fingertips were surprisingly soft, and in a blink of an eye he was gone. I gently touched my own fingers against my check, the most curious thing about him and the strange encounter was not his missing eyebrows, or sudden shift in shyness to forwardness, or the disappearing act. But the fact that his touch had been _warm_.

But all though were banished when a man of olive complexion, dyed hair the colour of snow and fangs bared quickly ascended a pair of concrete stairs, dragging a struggling woman behind him by her hair as he laughed. Fear emanated from her as others joined in the snickering as she called for help. With clenched fists I quickly downed the last of my drink with distaste and I silently pursued him. Electricity seemed to course through my body as I drew nearer and nearer, following him down corridors until he threw the hysterical female in to the room, but before he could shut the door behind him I slammed it in to his face. He recoiled, but when he looked up he started hissing,  
"You bitch! What the fuck-"

He was silenced as I lunged and a pair of elongated fangs tore his neck open and in splatters painted the wall behind him red.


	6. 5: Confessions

The man squirmed and hissed beneath me, growing weaker as I let the blood flow freely. But as soon as I tasted the extra sweetness I withdrew, quickly turning my ear piece off with my free hand. His once frantic motions were now slow and shaky as he gasped for air, pupils dilating and his fists clenching. I turned to the hyperventilating woman who was cowering in the cornor, snarling I pointed to the door,  
"Leave." She practically pulled a roadrunner as she dashed out the door, slamming it behind her as unsettled dust started floating around the room. Turning back to the man in my grasp I let the corners of my lips curl at the pathetic excuse of a vampire, malevolent intent swelling within me as I growled. He wearily tried to swipe at me, an attack that was easily batted away. Leaning closer I looked him directly in the eye as I licked his blood off my face. He whimpered at the sight of the fangs that protruded from my mouth, curved across my lips and nearly reached the end of my chin. Clicking my fingers to regain his attention I ensured I had full eye contact before I whispered,  
"I have a few questions to ask you. Seen any bald men, sickly looking, just lurking around?" But footsteps could be heard approaching so I quickly grabbed a rag from a box of many and wiped away all traces of my deed from me as I turned to him, pulling him up to eye level by the front of his coat and reached for my ear piece,  
"Answer me now."

To be honest he wasn't entirely sure why he was on babysitting duty in the first place. If the Daywalker wanted to know where the bitch was why didn't he go look for himself? Fuck this, he was not enjoying this alliance at all. He was trying to follow her scent, but the constant tang of blood and filthy musk of other body fluids were constantly distracting him with disgust. The half-bloods lived like animals, frolicking around in their own filth like this. To his relief the halls were far less occupied, near deserted even. He approached a door, inhaling deeply he could deduce that she was behind. So he reached out for the knob as he heard shuffling from the other side.

I had entered the hallway with the intent of tracking down Nyssa, when a sudden wave of pleasure left me drooling. Nearby, something smelt _exquisite_. I caught hints of the familiar sweetness of the girl that I had encountered just before. I hadn't even realised by this point that I had already started to walk towards the source with a fervent need to feed.

As the door began to wrenched it open just enough for me to rush through and slammed the door behind me. Only to be face to face with a very familiar man, who was staring down at me. Rusty locks flowed around his head as he glared from behind his glasses, it could only be the Bloodpack member Priest, who growled out as he reached around for the door knob,  
"What the fuck were you doing in there?" Quickly placing my hands in front of it defensively I blocked his way while stuttering,  
"Interrogation! Don't go in there…it's all gross and stuff!" He raised a brow at me as I crossed my arms,  
"Alright fine, you think it smells gross out here? Go in there and see what it's like. I _dare_ you." He appeared to seriously consider my words, drawing closer to the door he sniffed at the air, before grimacing a little and stepping away from it.  
"I'll just take your word for it." Thank _you_ reverse psychology. He turned back to me and stilled, before pointing to my right cheek.  
"…You've got some… is that blood?" I quickly placed a hand over my cheek, my head screaming out profanities I would never say. He withdrew a handkerchief from a pocket inside his coat and held it out wordlessly. I stared long and hard at it for a while, before carefully taking it from his waiting head and began to wipe my face with it. "What'd you do, cut them in to talking?"  
"I'd rather not answer that. But I can say, that some guys according to the description of bald, suspicious and sick looking have been hanging around the main. They're here." The brief interruption of static soon gave way to the sound of Blade's voice booming inside my head,  
"Then I suggest you get back there and keep your eyes out you two."

Groaning I removed the cloth from my face,  
"Yes, Blade." I eyed off the red stains before me, before folding the handkerchief up and offering it back to him, "Um…thanks." He took it and shoved it back in to the depths of his coat and started walking down the hallway. Trailing behind him I couldn't help but grin, "Sorry to say though, I thought only dinosaurs own handkerchiefs nowadays." He paused in his stalking, before turning back to me with an unamused expression as he stared down at me. For a moment I thought maybe I had offended him somehow, maybe he was an older vampire than I thought and I insulted his age? I stared back at him, then clawed my hands and smiled, "Y'know, roar?" The staring game continued. But then almost too suddenly he started laughing and lowered his glasses so I could actually see his eyes, for the first time. They were deep shade of blue and twinkling with amusement as he chuckled,  
"There's something wrong with you."  
"That's a rather offensive thing to say."  
"I know worse."  
"Don't share, I've lost enough self-confidence to this wannabe cat suit."  
"Shame on it, being flattering and all."  
"You need to refine your taste in clothing."  
"You need to refine your taste in business partners." I raised my brow at him this time,  
"Alright I'll give you that…Whistler's too pretty." The playful bantering only continued as we made our way down the hall, not realising that the others were listening to us.

As I drew nearer, the Thirst having almost taken over me now I shivered with anticipation at the scent of spilt vampire blood. I stopped just outside a door, with a few sniffs and a lick of my lips I quickly entered, shutting the door quietly. It was almost unbearable, before me lay a dazed vampire, with her scent all over him. The cause of my sudden hunger was the bleeding bite on his shoulder. I was sinking my extended mouth in to it before I even had the chance to think. Blood drunk my eyes rolled in to my head as the cool blood soothed my aching, delighting in the strange sweetness I shivered and clutched to the body beneath me eagerly gulping. But surprised was an underestimate when it clutched back, arching in to me, moaning and gasping. I ripped myself away as I stared in shock. I had already drained most of his blood which showed in his weak attempts of sitting back up, but something was off. When he should be screaming in agony and paralysed as his heart would start beating at the rate of a hummingbird's wings and falter. His eyes were fluttering, his heartbeat fast but strong, a blush lined his cheeks as he rubbed his chest and shoulder in a stupor I certainly did not inflict. Sniffing the air, I tried to discern the fragrant melody that surrounded me. The victim and his blood were easy to pick out now having tasted him, then there was the girl's odour, but there was something else here. Leaning back in to the dopey man below me I brushed off his attempts of groping as I sniffed his wound directly. Yes, there was something else.

Then I felt it, a brief and fluttery sensation at first, just a small spark. Arousal began to stir in me as I actually felt my eyes dilate and body warm with a heat far deeper than my curse had ever inflicted. Then suddenly an intense wave of euphoria like which I had never known washed over me, causing my knees to buckle as I fell back against the wall for support. I relished the new sensation, gasping for air as I felt it rush through me, meekly placing a hand on my lap and what was waking there. Then all too suddenly it died down to merely a buzz. Minutes passed, but the sensation teased ever so tantalisingly from within me. Groaning in frustration I tried to reorder my thoughts, gazing back to the man I noticed had stilled…He hadn't screamed once. What was this? I eyed off the bite wound. The blonde's scent was the only other here, she had done this, to him and to the man who was rapidly changing in to a Reaper. An aftershock of pleasure hit me as I curled my fingers in to the wall behind me, cutting through the wood as I dragged them as I shuddered and groaned again. She was the cause of this _somehow_. Growling I stood up and removed my hand, the faint buzz of euphoria still present as I tried to regather my thoughts and reason for being here. I still had a purpose to fulfil in this filthy place.

I still stand by the phrase, drunk vampires are talkative vampires. This was definitely the case with Priest. We had sat by the bar, just as a cover, when he started ordering drinks. The more he drank the more he talked, and he had had quite a few shots.  
"Your name."  
"What?"  
"Your name, you never told me."  
"Viv."  
"No! I know that much, what's your name?"  
"…Viv."  
"…What's it short for though, Vivian?" I groaned as I laid my face in my palm,  
"I prefer Viv." He started stroking his chain,  
"Viv…_Viv_…**Viv**…Vivian?...Viv."  
"What are you doing?"  
"I like your name, it's fun to say."  
"I'm sure it is, stop drinking." He covered the shot glass protectively with his hands,  
"The more I drink, the better my aim."  
"I don't think that's how it works-"  
"Ah'm dead serious!" A Scottish accent was starting to come through heavily now, "Ye see I overthink things when ah'm sober. Ah'm a fuckin' good dead shot after a drink. Infact-"

His rant was interrupted by a hiccup. "…I dinnae feel too good."  
"I'm really not surprised, you haven't stopped drinking since we sat down."  
"It helps with me nerves, I always get a wee bit anxious on a job. I ain't big and strong like Chupa, Lighthammer and Reinhardt…and Snowman and Assad have all 'em ninja moves. I'm just a fucking deadshot, but I can't run around or lift weights for shit compared to them guys. Hell, Nyssa's flexible as all hell, fast and really good with a fucking sword too! I know that the one to eventually go first will be me, so I get nervous and start overthinking everything."  
"That's quite the confession-"  
"Ye too fuckin' sober."  
"I'm sorry for that-"  
"Damn right you are! …" Priest turned his head at me, tilting it slightly he leant over and whispered, "Can ye tell me something? Why is Blade so cold to ya?"  
"Oh, you noticed."  
"It's fuckin' obvious, even the techy's treated more like a sentient being than ye. And ah've only seen him doped up." A habit I disapprove of.  
"It's nothing exciting, really."  
"If ah wanted ya to beat the bush ah woulda given ye a stick, just answer the question while ah'm still conscious."

Amused but cautious I gave a calculating look, I wasn't ashamed or anything, but would I indulge him to this? He was staring, waiting for an answer as he pulled a puppy eyed face. With a quick glance around the viscinity I switched off my ear piece and gazed idly at the crowd, then took in a deep breath,  
"Well…I guess it's because I don't take sides. Not in the pro-human strictly way anyway. Humans, Vampires, even Daywalkers and these Reaper things, they're all the same to me. I base my opinion of someone on their actions…That's why Blade's so distant with me, I don't kill in cold blood like he does, I really try not to kill at all where I can help it. As far as I see it, no matter what or who you are, you can be good…and you can be bad. That goes for everyone, I've seen humans do things worse than any vampire I've ever known. That's my argument, that it doesn't matter what anyone is. It's what at heart that counts and I won't sit idly as innocents fall prey to the corrupted and base. As long as I can still breathe, I'll gladly fight for what's right." I hadn't realised that I started to ramble, but when I looked over at Priest, he had taken on a focused and serious air as he looked over at me. Then he leaned over, turned off his own ear piece and briefly rested a hand on mine,

"I know what you mean." He sat back up and sneered at the crowds of people around, still dancing to the trance music. "These halfbloods claim they're vampires, but they don't have a fucking clue what that means. Look at them, they're a fucking disgrace to the name. It smells like a whore house in here, they're even doing it out in public like fucking animals, they don't deserve what's been given to them. Purebloods are the only real vampire, they're just leeches."  
"Well you sound sober already…Should I take a guess as to why your name is _Priest_?" He just grinned at me, in unison we both turned our ear pieces back on and sat in comfortable silence.

I had to confess, I actually was enjoying his company. Too bad for me the night wasn't over yet and it still had plans for me.


	7. 6: Ashes to Ashes

Author's Note: I would like to thank all of you for reading my story and being patient with this chapter, I can officially say the worst case of writer's block has ended.

That comfortable silence we had been sitting in was broken by static,  
"C'mon Viv, get your ass out to the floor and keep an eye out _there_, Priest has the bar covered."  
"Yes _Blade_, whatever you say _Blade_, _your wish is my command_ _**Blade**_**.**"  
"Don't get cute with me."  
Blowing one long and disdain filled raspberry into my mic I gave a curt wave as Priest proceeded to, through apparently finding my immature reaction hilarious nearly fall off his stool in laughter. Hopefully that vampiric metabolism kicked in soon I thought as I stood up and left some money on the table. I for one wasn't comfortable leaving a drunk man alone, knowing he possessed a gun…that no doubt did not have its safety on.

But nevertheless, I made my way to the dance floor as I was told and began to sway and rock. As I edged my way around and towards the middle, moving to the music, I kept an eye on the crowd around me, looking for bald men in particular. This was made difficult due to the fact that about a sixth of the vampires present thought baldness was a fashion statement, not excluding women it turns out. But then I saw him, slinking in the shadows, his hood obscuring the top of his head, but not the veiny sallow skin or his drooling mouth as he stalked his way over to where Asad was standing. Just as I lowered my arms and began to creep closer for a better a look a dead cold hand latched on to my shoulder, forcing me to turn as the brunette man grinned, fangs bared,  
"What? No screaming?" I ripped my shoulder away from him as I turned back around, but the hooded figure was gone. For a second time icy claws gripped me, twisting my arm behind my back and pulling me towards him. Glaring daggers at him I tried to pry him off, but he didn't so much as slightly budge. He used his free hand to tuck my messy mane behind my ear, then frowned at the glyph, hissing he sneered, "Friends in high places, huh pet? You must be _well trained_ if he'd bring you to a place like this." He made a show of licking his lips then turning his head side to side, scanning the vast ocean of bodies, "What a shame." He tightened his grip as he turned back, a sadistic grin slowly creeping up his face, slowly I started to reach for my belt as I sustained eye contact, "I don't see your Master anywhere." Just as I grasped at the hidden handle of the whip and he started to lunge forward, a gloved hand sprung out from behind grabbed him by the front of his shirt and ripped him off of me. Priest looked like a lion with his fangs bared, muscles visibly rippling as he effortlessly lifted the half-blood off his feet and hissed, electric blue eyes burning and his tousled mane of rusty locks splayed haphazardly around his face. His face was veiled with malevolent shadows, his voice dripped with venom as it seeped through and laced around the syllables of two very short words.  
"_Fuck_, _**off**_."

Unseen voltage seemed to strike and spark in the air surrounding the two vampires. The confrontation had stilled the closest of the bystanders who stood statue still, firm-lipped and eyes frozen. Contrasting against the background waves of bobbing heads and ocean of still swaying bodies. The stranger considered Priest seriously, clearly weighing him up as he glanced back at me with a hiss-and promptly sucker punched by the pure-blood. Blood dripped down from his split lip and gums as he crumpled to the floor, face twisted up so he could stare at the ceiling in a daze. It was over so abruptly I was still gaping at the almost definitely concussed sucker when Priest casually wrapped an arm around my waist, leaned down as his curls and rolling waves whispered against my shoulder and whispered,  
"Go along with it." Then he straightened up and escorted me out of the crowd and in to one of the booths, the vampires currently residing in it fleeing almost instantly, causing me to grin slightly as I experienced a little déjà vu. We sat down on the seat, his arm still circled around me protectively as he surveyed the crowd then turned to me, I smiled up at him,  
"My hero."  
"Who's bright idea was it to bring a warm blood to a club in the first place?"  
"Hey! I would have been fine, I do this all the time. The occasional creep comes with the job and I was about to kick his ass by myself out there. Killer right hook though."  
"A few more seconds and it was going to be your blood splattered everywhere and pooling on the floor. If it wasn't for me he and every other freak show in this fucking jacked up whore-house would be feeding on you and sucking every single drop of blood that is coursing through your veins until you were as dry as a gutted corpse in the Grand Canyon while simultaneously violating you in every single fucking way possible. Not to mention that-" I lazily rested two fingers just barely against his lips and chastely kissed his cheek, mumbling,  
"Thank you." He stilled entirely, mild shock clearly written all over his face, then with a crooked grin and guffaw relaxed against the back of the plush seat.  
"You're bloody welcome."  
"Mind if ask though, why did you decide to play the vigilante back there?" I glanced around for Blade, guess he's elsewhere at the moment. Covering my mic with my hand I looked up at him through my lashes with an awkward smile, "Aren't I guilty by association or something?" He stared back down at me, brow twitching as he started tapping the seat with his thumb and fidgeted.  
"Well, I just, y'know?" He withdrew his hand from my waist and ran it through his hair, then turned a bit so he could face me properly and tilted his head down so he could peer over his glasses with those shocking blue eyes. "You're not so bad…For a Hunter."

But it was just as I was about to reply back with something witty, when guns started firing and a nearby figure that was behind Priest lowered his hood. I instantly fished out my whip and pushed Priest to the side, almost decapitating the creature with a flick of the risk. Screams and shrieks polluted the air as bodies scrambled and scurried in all directions and I watched in dreaded awe as the Reaper's neck quickly healed over and snarled at me. Aw poo. I felt bullets whir past me then saw them tear through the well-worn jacket and pierce through its chest, body jerking as it quickly was filled up with lead. Clear liquid oozed from the holes, but still they only healed over and it was snarling again.  
"SHIT! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!" Priest yelled vehemently as he reloaded. Not in time though, before I realised I was its target I was on the ground with a hot mountain of flesh sitting on my abdomen. As some more shots were fired in to the Reaper paused in his attack long enough for me to coil my whip around its wrists in restraint and its neck. Pulling at both ends I tried to strangle it as it thrashed and I grimaced as slime pooled on my chest and face. Assad's voice called out inside my head,  
"We're under attack! There's about three of them, probably more!"  
"OH NO FUCKING SHIT, SHERLOCK!" I growled in to the mic as the thing on top of me was trying to claw off the makeshift noose that was constricting it and twisting it's torso in all directions. More snarls and Priest hollering out had me jerking my head up in time to watch Priest be thrown by another Reaper. The one on top of me was gave up on releasing itself and started trying to pull its face closer, just as the scar on its chin bloomed in to a huge mouth-thing with rows of pointy teeth and a tentacle flailed about wildly.  
"What the hell is THAT!" I cried out, turning my face away from the violent swings of what I suppose was its long, slimy, leech-like tongue as it continued to lean down almost unnaturally. I gripped my handle tightly, and impaled it in to its eye, more ooze splattered me as I twisted it and watched the Rea[er light up from the inside then finally explode in to ashes with a deafening shriek. And a wave of memories flashed back to me of others dying in a similar manner and I switched off the UV light and quickly sat back up, just as Scud spoke,  
"Listen if you're under attack, use your UV lights, use your UV lights. They can't take the light."  
"Just figured that out the hard way, Scud."

Standing up I noticed how utterly empty the warehouse seemed now, Reinhardt and Chupa weren't too far away, Blade and Nyssa out of sight and apparently what Priest said about Snowman and Assad being ninjas was true. But the most noise was coming from the other side of the warehouse, back near the bar Priest was fighting a losing battle. His gun had been knocked from his hand and he had had to resort to using his fists, trying to out-punch the onslaught of blows from the Reaper. He managed to land one on its jaw, sending it backwards a couple of steps with its neck jutting at an awkward angle. Then all too suddenly it turned back to him with a loud crick and proceeded to break his wrist then start slamming his head in to the wall behind repeatedly as rubble fell in between each impact. Running over I raised my arm above and behind me, before thrusting it forward and flicking the whip once more. Like a snake, it struck out and hooked around its target's neck with a crushing embrace. Unmercifully ripping my arm back I forced it on to its back as it slid across the ground towards me. I quickly placed on heavy boot on one of its shoulders and as it snarled up at me I thrusted the handle in to its mouth, holding its chin shut with my other hand and twisted.

Ash scattered almost instantly as I stood up straight and looked around, no more Reapers in sight. I quickly crouched down beside the crumpled Priest.  
"Are you…alright?" He started giggling and pointed to his bleeding head,  
"Fucking peachy." I stiffened as instinct immediately started knowing at my insides upon sight of the blood. Biting my lip I turned away and waited for the others. Asad and Chupa were the first, Asad quickly went about tending to Priest as Chupa raided the bar's stock for some yet to-be-mixed non-alcoholic blood. With a final glance at the dazed Priest I put some distance between me and the calling promise of cold, sweet and metallic blood and leant against the entrance as the rest of the Bloodpack returned. Priest was spouting nonsensical things as Chupa was trying to persuade to still his mouth long enough to pour in the crimson contents of the pack he was holding. Blade came stalking in last his coat a little dusty, and raised a brow at Priest who has started laughing maniacally. Reinhardt turned on his heel and tore out his ear piece,  
"Will someone just shut him the fuck UP!" Chupa was taking a more motherly approach, gently trying to still his jaw with one hand and cooing at him. He finally managed to do it and soon Priest's babbling turned in to laboured pants as his wounds started to heal.

That was when Scud and Whistler walked in, the former looked peeved and the latter looked tired and wet. Whistler is the first to speak,  
"If that was your Bloodpack's Sunday brunch, we're in trouble."  
"This mother fucker left his post. He just disappeared." Blared turned to Whistler,  
"Where were you?"  
"Ran in to a little Reaper trouble myself." Chupa stood up and started to stalk towards Whistler menacingly,  
"Oh, yeah? How little? We almost lost a man," He mockingly stroked Whistler's cheek so that he could grip it and spit, "And if we had we would've carved his fucking name on your chest." Chupa then stepped away from him and stood by, glaring the man down. Ignoring the threat completely he turned back to Blade,  
"Let me show you." He started to lead everyone out, Scud turned to me and signalled for me to follow too, but a large hand gripped my forearm. Quickly turning I looked up at Chupa who growled,  
"Stay with Priest." Before he stormed away. Crossing arms I glared at his back, then shrugged at Scud and turned back to where the wounded man lay. I crossed over to him and stood a few feet away. His breathing had steadied and his wounds but he still looked a little woozy and his blood had now dries and crusted. I turned back to Scud who was still hovering by the entrance and waved him off. He was hesitant, but soon went off to join the others. Walking over to the bar I reached for a rag and wetted it. Returning to Priest I crouched down and placed a hand on his chest.  
"I'm just going to clean you up, okay?" He just stared up at me, well I guess he didn't object. Holding my breath I leant and tentatively went about wiping the blood off of him.

It was uncannily silent, he hadn't moved a muscle since I started and his eyes were fixated on me. Uncomfortable I tried to start a conversation,  
"You, uh…you took quite the beating, didn't you?" His sudden gripping of my wrist startled me and I dropped the rag. He sat up a little more, his glasses lay on the floor cracked so his eyes were completely obscured. To me they looked like lightning storms, but they were not flashing in anger. His grip relaxed a little, his hand slowly sliding down to lace his fingers with mine, still staring. And then he truly surprised me, he lifted my hand to his lips and brushed them along a vein, before unlacing his fingers from mine and placing my palm against his chest, just over his heart. It's beat was strong, and maybe just a little too fast.  
"Thank you." He mumbled, his eyes were finally focused. Blushing lightly I gently withdrew my hand and picked up the bloodied rag.  
"It was nothing." He leant back against the wall and smiled taking on his casual air at last, before lowering his gaze to the whip on my side and waggled his eyebrows,  
"A whip, eh? Your fucking good with it."  
"I also know capoeira, Kung Fu and sword fighting."  
"Yeah? Well no wonder you looked like fucking Catwoman back there." He raised his head and grinned, "Speaking of cats. I never did ask why your hideout is full of them."  
"Well, uh, I like cats." He tilted his head downwards,  
"That's it? Because you like them?"  
"Is that, not a good reason?"  
"Well I guess so, after all…you better like them if you're gonna have five hundred of them hanging around."  
"You're exaggerating, I have exactly 37."

As we chit-chatted back and forth until the others returned, I had no idea that there was another present. Watching from the shadows in silence.

We all travelled back to the ware house, they brought back one of the Reapers and I watched with a grimace as Nyssa explained the function of its mouth and cut it open. Apparently they found it out in the alleyways, trying to get in to an abandoned slaughterhouse, but they found no further clues when they all inspected it. The vamps returned to the Damaskinos House to recover, particularly in Priest's and Lighthammer's cases. And now I was getting ready to curl up in bed and sleep all of today's excitement off. That was until someone knocked on my door. Cracking it open just an inch, a sliver of Scud was visible.  
"Can I come in?"  
"…Sure." He quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind, wriggling my finger above the klittens I sat up on my bed and crossed my legs. "So…What's up?"  
"getting a little close to the Suckers there aren't you?"  
"What?" He sat down on my bed beside and hushed his voice,  
"We set up cameras remember? They were still recording after we left to follow the old f-Whistler."  
"…Oh. Oh that was nothing, he was just saying thanks."  
"And when you kissed him in the booth?"  
"I was telling _him_ thanks."  
"And at the bar?"  
"I don't remember kissing him at the bar." Scud scowled.  
"I'm being serious here Viv, do really think it's such a good idea to start hitting it off with a vampire? Particularly, one who is a member of a highly trained team intended for the sole purpose of killing and ultimately stopping the organisation? You, me and Whistler included?" I crossed my arms,  
"We're allies at the moment though and I'll treat them as such. And Priest's not so bad, in fact, he might even be nicer than Blade is when he's in a good mood." Scud still was scowling.  
"Don't get too close."  
"Y'know, that's about the second time I've heard that today." Scud wrapped his arms around me and squeezed.  
"Then maybe you should listen, because I'm not going to fucking bust in and save your ass if you get in trouble…But I don't want anything to happen to you." I wrapped my arms around him and smiled,  
"Don't worry about me Scud I can look after myself, but thanks for the concern. Speaking of trouble, what the hell happened to the van?"

"What can I say? I'm so sexy even those Reapers wanna jump me." He pulled away and grinned with all of his boyish charm he could muster before whispering huskily, "Now speaking of sexy, what do you get when you plus you and me, subtract the clothes and divide the bed?"  
"You ruining the moment with seedy math equations."

A lone figure stalked the dark corridors of the empty building, the paint looked more like it was melting off the waalls than peeling and the air was stale with mould and dead things collecting dust. Hood drawn up and hands curled by his side he followed the lingering sweetness. She frequented this area, all he had to do now...was wait for her to come to him.


	8. 7: Court of Miracles

A/N: Well thank God this part is done, although still not quite how I hoped it would turn out, actual answers and more Jared in the next few chapters, promise!

I was sitting on Scud's desk, still in my pyjamas and probably looked like a zombie, stroking Shades while alternating between sipping on a cup of coffee and slowly eating one of Scud's doughnuts with the other hand. The usual breakfast served when it's Scud's turn to do the groceries.

"Looking a little sleepy there, princess." Whistler quipped as he limped in to the room, grinning,  
"There better be a good reason why we're up, six hours sleep is not nearly enough. Why are you so happy? It's too early to be happy."  
"It's twelve am most of society is up now."  
" 'Most of society' don't spend their nights chasing down vampires or fending off Reapers."  
"Tough luck, call your friend and get dressed."  
"Get dressed, why? Where are we going?"  
"Reaper hunting."  
"Oh, you're kidding, right? ...We don't even know where to start."  
"We're going to target viable food sources."  
"But, he's different from the others, he doesn't need to feed yet, does he?" Whistler started preparing the guns, and didn't even flinch when Blade suddenly spoke,

"He may be different, but he still needs to feed and I doubt all those bullets he took are helping him. He'll need to feed soon, and his little Reaper bitches…and judging by how frequently they need to, they're going to have to find somewhere with lots of suckers for 'em to nibble on." Scud started chewing his thumb pad nervously,  
"So, we'll just try another club then?" Blade's voice cut through the air,  
"No." He indicated to the smashed up van in the garage, "He knows we're after him now. He's going to change his tactics," He turned to me, "try to surprise us." Whistler tilted his head and frowned,  
"Daylight, he's going to attack during daylight." Scud took the last drag from his cigarette and flicked it on to the ground, bastard, he knows it my job to keep the floors clean,  
"Well that'd certainly be surprising, but he can't attack during the day, he'll fry the minute he steps out in to sunlight."  
"The sun's UV rays are strongest between ten am and four pm, he's not stupid enough to expose himself during then it'd be suicide, but he might try when they're weaker. It's been done before, we've all seen vampires expose themselves to the weaker rays and survive." I tilted my head and considered the possibility,  
"That would only be possible for a short amount of time, a minute at most. He won't try it out in the open."  
"So think. How many sucker hot spots are there in Prague that can be safely accessed to by vampires no matter the time? As far as I know, there is only one." I looked up at Blade quickly, his eyes already on me, staring intensely from behind his shades,  
"…The Court of Miracles."  
"What's the security like?"  
"Downstairs? Much better than the House of Pain's…but I guess still not enough to stop a few Reapers." Whistler pointed to my room,  
"Get your friend on the phone. We'll meet the Bloodpack there in a couple of hours" I nodded and went to get up, before turning back to Whistler.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, "You haven't answered my first question yet." He held up the sleek mobile the pack had given to us when we needed to contact them, and had given it to Whistler to be in charge of, they're mistake.  
"The Sucker Pack weren't too pleased with the wakeup call either." I crossed my arms and smiled,  
"I thought you said we weren't expecting them for another couple of hours?" Whistler's grin curled to his ears as he pocketed the phone once more,  
"I wanted to make sure they wouldn't be late." I laughed as I imagined just how _displeased_ a group of vampires would be for getting an early wakeup call in the literal middle of the day, and placing Shades and my mug on the bench I stood up to go get dressed, chuckling as I passed him,  
"You're pure evil."

And displeased they were still when they finally arrived in the private room, just beside the staircase leading to the lower levels. I smoothed my coat as I re-entered the room myself, having finished getting ready for a night in the basement. The purebloods may not get bags under the eyes and strode in to the room as powerfully as they did at the warehouse last night, but the weary look in their eyes betrayed their sleep deprivation. Priest's slouchy gait in particular and grumpy expression was near comical as entered, but at least he looked otherwise recovered and ready. Blade, Reinhardt, Nyssa and Asad were already deep in conversation, everyone else was doing their own thing, the creaking of leather caught my attention. Priest was settled against the wall, while subtly patting the space next to him he inclined his head and gave a crooked smile. Smiling back I gave an acknowledging nod but just I was about to stand next to him, Scud non-too-subtly coughed. I slowly turned to him, who stared straight at me, then darted his eyes back to Priest and shook his head. I was going to ignore him, until someone else coughed. Glancing over at Whistler who scowled at me and indicated to the other side of the room, so with a resigned sigh I stood against the wall closest to me. Fine, I wouldn't go so hello. Though, I didn't miss the way Priest eyed off both Hunters with a tight-lipped frown. Nor did Chupa it seems, as he stood up and leant against the wall and whispered something to Priest. Whatever it was, it made the Scot's eyebrow twitch as Chupa leant way with a toothy grin. Then Reinhardt's voice cut through all conversation,  
"I still don't get why we're here, _in the middle of the day_."

Blade raised the remote, instantly silencing the baldy,  
"I already explained it, Nomak needs to feed, but he knows we're after him, and we think he's going to hit this place up for a meal. But this time, we're going to be prepared." Scud clapped his hands together, drawing everyone's attention to him as he grinned and layed out the blueprints of the Court of Miracles on the large meeting table.  
"I've been getting this place all set up, seriously we've got laser tripwires and everything." He pointed to the lowest levels of the basement, to the rectangles indicating possible entrances.  
"Like, first of all we've got the motion alarms, got 'em all set up around the perimeter. The minute anything even gets close to this place," He tapped the headpiece with a smile, "We'll know. Once they've been triggered several UV spotlights we've hooked up are gonna switch on and fry 'em up. But wait, there's more." He pointed to the labyrinth of hallways sprawled out all over the prints, "If they get past those, we've got laser tripwires set up around every entrance," he pointed to the smiley face stickers we placed along some of them, "and you guys are gonna be posted at the main junctions in teams of three. 'Cept me, Viv and Whistler." Reinhardt growled out from his seat at the table,  
"And where exactly are you going to be?" The younger man looked up,  
"We're special." Whistler intervened,  
"I'm going to keep watch of the main security while Scud keeps track of everything from our own cameras we got up around here, we'll let you know over the com if we see anything." He turned to me with a raised brow,  
"And you?" That was exactly when a smooth Southern accent drawled out from the shadows by the door,  
"Vivian will be with me and some of my own men in the VIP areas." I leant back against the wall and unintentionally giggled as I turned to him,  
"I was thinking about calling us the 'V, V & VIP team'."

The man was clad in a sleek black designer suit and a red shirt, and practically floated in to the room in graceful strides. He was carrying a brief case in one hand and a decorated ebony cane in the other. He walked straight past the group of vampires and sauntered up to Whistler, giving him a small bow of his head and dropped the briefcase, greeting the silvered man respectfully with a smile and an outstretched ringed hand,  
"Whistler."  
"Vincent." The old man replied gruffly and nodded, but completely ignored the offered hand. Straightening himself he retracted his arm and brushed off his shoulder and spoke in a nonchalant drawl,  
"I hope you don't plan on destroying my establishment while you're here."  
"We're not making any promises."  
"I understand. Well," He gently placed the briefcase and deftly flicked the locks off, lifting the lid he turned back to me, "I got some new toys for the occasion." Scud whistled at the array of gear, tech geek to the core he was, and so was practically fondling the gadgets between his hands.  
"This is, like, secret service quality shit right here." I seized the thigh holster and small UV flashlight from him, shrugged off my coat and started clipping and fastening everything to me.

She smiled up at him as placed one heeled foot on a chair,  
"Just call me Agent 99." And then she hitched up one side of her red dress to fasten on the gun holster, he bit his lip in a wolfish smile as he eyed off the creamy, exposed flesh, only to catch the gaze of a not so distant Priest peeping over his glasses…with Whistler and Vincent greasing off the both of them. Viv straightened up and fixed her dress, which perfectly concealed all the hidden devices and weapons. He offered her the crook of his arm and grinned devilishly,  
"Ready?" Vincent asked as he swiped up the briefcase in one hand,  
"As ready as I'll ever be. Why am I always the vampire bait?" Whistler appeared by her side and squeezed her shoulder, "Because I don't have the legs for that dress." Her laughter was near musical as she squeezed his hand back, letting it roll off her shoulder and back to his side.  
"Vincent does though." Vincent smiled devilishly down at her and offered the crook of his arm,  
"Shall we descend, m'lady?" She took the offered support and simpered playfully from underneath her inked lashes,  
"Allons-y." As they took their leave she glanced back to the room and winked as she placed one strappy red stiletto after the other, a ghostly train of crimson chiffon trailing after her, but Vincent cast one last gaze backwards and smirked at the lot of them.  
"We shall wait for you by the elevator, my guards will escort you."

Scud turned to Whistler,  
"The fuck is he, anyway?"  
"Vincent Vinova." Asad responded promptly, "He's a well-known individual amongst both the human and vampire communities."  
"He's also owns Calypso Industries, Myers Manufacturing and the majority of shares of the Prague's local businesses...and the Court of Miracles." Whistler added. Scud frowned at him and hissed,  
"Alright so he's Prague's personal Bruce Wayne, but who's he to Viv?" Blade said nothing as he walked past and Whistler gave Scud a steely look, "Not my place to say."

_Who was he, indeed?_

"Move out everyone." As the group trudged out the door, Priest glared venomously at Scud, causing the younger man to shuffle quickly to presumably the security room with Whistler. They all waited for the elevator, glancing at the guards and readjusted their guns. When it came, the two uniformed men withdrew a key from and turned a dial, and they descended in silence. While the top levels were brighter, the basement levels were dimly lit, highlighting the golden intricate details and furnishings of the theatrical decoration of the theatre walls and ceiling, and as his eyes rested on the two waiting figures, made Viv glow. She smiled at him as Vincent ran through the rules they were to abide, like no harassing his guests. The teams began to split up, going their separate ways to their assigned posts. And he watched as Viv waited by the stairs leading to the VIP area for Vincent. He, Chupa and Snowman's posts were just in the halls of the restricted areas. Priest began to walk towards her with intentions to finally talk, when a cane against his chest stopped him in his tracks, instinctively pulling his gun out he aimed it at the bloody posh fucker's head.  
"Ah, you must be Priest…Yes, Vivian told me about you." Vincent lowered his gun with his cane and smiled coldly before whispering in vampiric,  
"_She won't be needing a burly protector here_." With that he walked ahead, pausing by Viv, both exchanging a stoic look and made his way down the stairs. She quickly walked over and whispered,  
"What was that all about?" He looked up to meet the soul-piercing stare of the dark man from the bottom of the stairs, who halted his journey to glare at him. He lowered his head, and in a hushed growl muttered,  
"Just another mouthy half-blood."  
"Vivian." The other growled back, and held up a hand, "We better move along." She glanced between the two, confused she raised a brow at the obvious tension between the two, and then shrugged,  
"I guess I better go, uh…Good luck?" His eyes quickly darted back to the half-blood bastard, then back at Viv, a little glint in his eye as he laced his fingers with hers, and lowered his lips to the back of her hand, whispering against it,  
"You too." He raised his head and grinned, "I haven't thanked you properly for yesterday yet, remind me to later." And as he stalked off to his post with his two fellow Bloodpack members, he quickly cast a smirk back at Vincent who glared with unspoken disdain. Because Vivian still stood there, awkwardly blushing and a hand to her chest. Before quickly walking over to Vincent, refusing to make eye contact.

I'd only been down here once before, and the place totally reminds me of the Phantom's lair, except for disfigured French men the place was frequented by mobs of vampires. Quiet waves of hushed conversations and the lingering notes of orchestral music wafted from behind the guarded entrance. The guards nodded at Vincent, then lifted the curtains back to reveal the large room, tables of elegantly dressed vampires and the occasional familiar sat at numerous decorated tables, facing a grand stage where the band played. Vincent led the way to the reserved table at the back, the one position they would be able to see everything that was happening in the room. This place was about as different from the House of Pain as Santa to Satan. Blood was served in goblets, alcohol optional. Hell, there were drinks that came with those slices of decorative fruit or those tiny little umbrellas. And all blood served was freely donated. There were no grinding bodies, no piercing stations or razorblades, just dapper suits and elegant dresses, yet still I was on edge. Maybe last night got to me more than I thought.  
"You're tense." I turned to Vincent, his eyes solely trained on me and his chin rested on his hand, a la the thinker.  
"I'm surprised you're not, you didn't even see what these things could do."  
"Perhaps that's why, but I wish to discuss other matters."  
"Oh dear…" He lowered his hand and raised a brow,  
"Indeed. Exactly how much do you know about the Bloodpack."  
"…Exactly what I told you." His voice lowered and his eyes glinted,  
"And Priest?" I don't like where this is going.  
"Vincent, it's nothing, don't worry."  
"That 'nothing' made you blush. Look, I'm just saying you need to be more cautious, less friendly, and don't-" I quickly switched off the ear piece as several chuckles broke the static, then pointed a finger accusingly at Vincent,  
"If you say…don't get too close, I may just punch you in the face. It's not funny anymore, you guys can stop worrying, I'm a big girl.  
"Actually, I was going to say don't go wandering off alone."  
"Well…that's oddly refreshing. But come one, these things are like supercharged zombie-vampire hybrids on steroids, I don't want to be alone when and if they come along…That's just plain stupid."  
"It wouldn't be the first time you've gone off by yourself."  
"That was almost three years ago now, stop guilt-tripping me over it. I wouldn't have met Whistler and Blade if I hadn't, and I haven't _since_ during an operation_. Plus_, bringing back a previous point, I've grown up since then." With a sudden smile and a subtle tilt of my head and peeked up at the Southern man, "Now I've got my own question for you, about what exactly happened back there between you and Priest." "As far as I know –unlessthereissomethingyouwan ttotellme- you two have never met before. Yet the minute Priest stepped out of that elevator you jumped on him. You weren't even that hostile when Scud first joined up, hell you still haven't personally talked to him. Yet every time he comes in a conversation you pull this face, and don't tell me you don't, and tell me another reason why disapprove of him. Why haven't you gone up to _him_ with that whole, 'Yes, Vivian has told me about you' thing you had going on there."  
"Ha! I was never really concerned by that _boy_."  
"Well, yes, he is a _boy_." I winked at the camera in the cornor, "But, Priest concerns you?"  
"Do you even know his real name?" I cast my eyes to the hall,  
"Uh…No." Vincent's chair creaked as he leant back and folded his hands across his chest, a smug smirk across his face.  
"I find _that_ concerning."  
"Alright, _fine_, fair point." Turning around in my seat I let my eyes wander over the seated crowd, "Now if you mind, I really ought to keep an eye out. Pretend we're watching the band."

A light shining in my eyes caught my attention, and looking up I saw Blade, pointing to his ear and mouthing, 'on'. Sticking my tongue out I quickly swiped the small device and returned to observing the sea of red and black clad vampire lords and ladies. Then out of the blue, a guard appeared and whispered something in to Vincent's ear. He tilted his head at me, a smile tugging the ends of his mouth to curl. Furrowing my brows at him I suspiciously glanced at the retreating guard,  
"…What?"  
"It would appear, that the vocalist of the next band that was supposed to play…has fallen ill. Chest infection I'm afraid."  
"And?"  
"I would be, _eternally grateful_, if you happened to know anyone that could replace her?"  
"Nope."  
"It was worth a try." Then a distinct voice burst in to my ear,  
"**Do it**."  
"You're kidding…Blade, tell me you're kidding." There was only a deep chuckle for a response,  
"We needed something to distract the crowd for a while anyway." I reluctantly stood up from my seat,  
"Blade, I hate you, so, so much right now." I glared over my shoulder at Vincent as I made my way backstage, "You too." He simply raised his arms in a mocking shrug and smiled sweetly,  
"Sticks and stones, sweetheart."  
"Lookie," I cast a gaze over at Reinhardt, who stood by the balcony on the top level, holding out a goblet, "Dinner and a show." They all giggled and chortled amongst themselves as I huffed,  
"You know what? Go ahead, laugh it up. I don't even care, I _like_ singing."

And just out of sight in the hall, a man rustled his leather coat as he crept closer and leant against the wall grinning, russet hair freely flowing down his chest and deep blue eyes peeping over a pair of shades. He watched her mouth curses under her breath as she slinked off backstage and he settled. He wasn't going to miss _this_ performance. Scud twirled around in his chair some distance away to watch the stage screen. And another watched silently from the shadows elsewhere, fingers itching.

As the band's last song slowed to an end, whispers floated across the stage, and then notes began to drift solemnly through the air. A curvy silhouette swayed slightly from behind a few sheer drapes, and a bittersweet voice made even the chattiest of voices silent and the busiest of bodies still,  
"_Spend all your time waiting…For that, second chance, for a break that would make it okay_." The drapes began to slowly rise as the figure stepped forward, dressed in red. The Lights surrounding her twinkled like stars in the dark, made her fair skin, pale hair, and her green eyes glow with subtle conflicting emotions, made her look almost celestial in appearance. "_There's always some reason to feel not good enough, and it's hard, at the end of the day. I need some distraction, oh, beautiful release. Memories seep from my veins_." Then she opened her arms, seemingly as if inviting them all to listen, to a secret message that lay underneath the words and the falling of their lilts,  
_"Let me be empty, oh, and weightless, and maybe I'll find some peace tonight…In the arms of the angel, fly away from here, from this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear…You are pulled from the wreckage, of your silent reverie. You're in the arms of the angel, may you find some comfort here." _Her eyes held the crowd, hypnotising them as they boldly gazed across them, eyes locking with a pair of electric blue in the hall, and unknowingly sweeping over baby blue.  
"_So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn, there's vultures and thieves at your back. The storm keeps on twisting. Keep on building the lies that you make up for all that you lack. It don't make no difference, escape one last time_."

"_It's easier to believe in this sweet madness, Oh, this glorious sadness…that brings me to my knees."_ She started to withdraw to the back of the stage, eyes unwavering from the awestruck crowd. _In the arms of the angel, fly away from here, from this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear. You are pulled from the wreckage, of your silent reverie. You're in the arms of the angel, may you find some comfort here." _As the sheer drapes fell once more she became a silhouette as the lights dimmed, _  
_"_You're in the arms of the angel, may you find some comfort here_."

Even when the music eventually died many still gazed at the stage doe-eyed as they clapped, before slowly returning to their previous activities. Priest joined in as he waited, and when she stepped out of backstage he quickly gestured for her to come over. They both glanced over at Vincent quickly, who appeared to be deep in conversation with some of his guests, before she shyly slipped in to the shadowy hall with him. She bowed her head a little as her eyes cat downwards as she smiled,  
"Hello." He grinned at her,  
"Hello yourself. So, singing, huh? Last time I checked, that was a pre-requisite to hunting…Unless this is some new age lure."  
"I like to do other things outside of fighting for my life and saving some poor wretch every other night you know."  
"I didn't say it was a _bad_ thing."  
"Yeah…just a shame you vamps really like the gloomy stuff, kind of gets me down personally."  
"Do you know why places like the House of Pain are so popular amongst even some of the purebloods?"  
"Pain. Once you've lived a decent century or so, things tend to lose value. Pain reminds us we're still alive. Makes us better appreciate all the good things life still has to offer."  
"That's why all these suckers enjoyed your little show. There was pain in your voice…it was, to put it bluntly, beautiful." Then it was his turn to flick his eyes away as he rubbed the back of his neck as she turned to give him a look, "...But, uh, you didn't hear that from me."  
"Oh, so the elite Bloodpack self-proclaimed dead-shot has a softer side, not to mention an appreciation for music." He frowned down at her, to which she simply bumped shoulders with him, "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."  
"_You know_, you're not the only that likes to do _other_ things outside of fighting for their life every other night." He cleared his throat as he folded his arms across his chest, "So, uh, about thanking you…I was thinking, y'know, maybe taking you out for a drink sometime soon?"  
"For fuck's sake, rent a room or something. Or at least remember to turn off the mic!"  
"Duty first, Priest."  
"Say yes and put him out of his fucking misery, chica!"  
Well that last one was Chupa, for sure. Second sounded like Asad…pretty sure the first was Reinhardt. Priest cast a quick middle finger down towards the hall, no doubt aimed at Chupa. Smiling up I folded my own arms,  
"As long as the drink doesn't involve any bodies or blood bags, yeah…It could be fun. But, uh, I'm not sure-"

I didn't get to finish that sentence. As it was just then, that all sorts of alarms started blaring. People started panicking, Blade started ordering, Scud started swearing. They were here, quite literally as they started to spring up from all sorts of places.  
"Fuck!" Priest, as eloquent as ever shouted as he whipped out his guns, flicked off the filter caps and started firing. I quickly snatched the little flashlight and the whip, ignoring how high I had to hitch my dress for now as I went to cover Priest's back. Then he shouted over his shoulder, "Daileass Ward!"  
"What?"  
"My name is Daileass, Strachan, Ward!"  
"Okay, now's really not the time to be-! ...Wait. Oh, you _**bastard**__you were eaves dropping!"_  
"Tell me off for it later, we've got bigger fucking problem right now!"  
"C'mon this way!" We ran back in to the room and I snatched Vincent's elbow as we retreated out of the overcrowded room to cover the halls closer to the others. Stopping Vincent in front of me I looked up at him,  
"You need to leave, now!"  
"And leave you alone with _him_, I wasn't born yesterday Vivian. I know when a man has intentions."  
"Yes, okay, whatever, he has intentions and all that. If you aren't going to leave, at least go to the security room, you'll be safer there than wandering around here. Here," I closed his fingers around the flashlight, "Now go!" He nodded his head and I quickly hugged him before he left, priest frowned at the distancing man in black,  
"The fuck do you care if he's safe or not?"  
"**You could say I owe him for something**. _Bigger problems_, _Daileass_, remember?" And as if on some cue, one of the Reapers became especially interested in us, quickly deciding to hurl itself in our direction.

With a flick of my wrist I sent it sprawling backwards, until more growling from the other side of the hall caught my attention. Turning my head there were two other Reapers stumbling towards us. Cracking my whip again I managed to decapitate one, Priest quickly cast his UV beam on it before it could regenerate. But two more came wandering down the halls,  
"Dear God, how many of them are there?"  
"Concentrate on fucking **killing** them not counting them!" But it was no use, more just kept coming as we tried to keep up.  
"We need to find the others!"  
"Yeah, I suppose we'll just ask the fuckers to let us through then! Unless you've got something that can clear all the drooling Reapers out of the way!" I quickly hitched up my dress again and pilfered through what I had hidden, before finally pulling out something useful,  
"I've got a bomb!"  
"**The fuck do you have a bomb for?!**"  
"Well, this I guess!" Pulling out the stopper with my teeth I tossed the small grenade as far into to crowd of Reapers as I could and braced myself as few took the opportunity to leap at me. Then there was a loud bang and a surge of heat as Reaper bits sailed through the air. Wasting no time we sprinted through the fleshy mass, shining our UV beams on to whatever we could along the way. We found the elevator and quickly scampered in, pressing the button for ground floor. As soon as the doors opened there was more running, and more Reapers to fend off.

Then the static broken once more, "Verlaine and Lighthammer are down, everybody regroup at the main junction!" And then there was a gust of wind and a shout, and spinning on my heel I turned as fast as I could to see Priest being dragged away by a Reaper.  
"Priest!" Chasing after them I started to breathe rapidly as I felt my muscles begin to quiver, oh **no**, that Reaper was going to **die** before it even got the chance to open it god-damned freakish mouth! With that I thrust myself on to all fours and charged, swerving and ducking each turn, gaining on them. Then he crashed in to a door and into one of the rooms. Hurtling myself through the shattered remains of the wooden board I latched my clawed hands in to its back, digging in to its flesh as it raised its head above Priest's neck. And just as its mouth connected with his skin I clutched it's spine and ripped it off him, causing it's body to spasm as I switched on my whip's torch and slammed it through its ear. But Priest was already sputtering with a hand on the wound in his neck. No! No this was not going to happen! And without hesitation I straddled him as I tilted his head back, and sank my fangs in to his flesh. The scream that tore out from his mouth and the way his blunt nails dug in to my arms killed me, but I had to do this. I drained his blood quickly, hoping this would work. Whatever the Reapers used to turn vampire in to one their own, it tasted wrong, not quite gross gross, but _wrong_. And as soon as his blood no longer tasted like it I spat it out all over the floor, and grimaced as I reached for my whip from the now pile of ash, and scorched the wound with its UV beam. His eyes were screwed shut and lowering my face to his I whispered comforts as I switched off the torch when his flesh was reduced to a charred mess.

He was considerably weaker now, his arms lying limply by his side. Cradling his head in my palms I brought my forehead to his and whimpered,  
"I'm sorry." Then I heard the beeps. And the static. And realised that there were lots of screens here…and turning my head, sitting in the chair, was a petrified Scud.

"…Scud…I can explain." Scud just continued to sit there, eyes wide open as he stared. Slowly I lowered Priest to the floor, taking care to be gentle as blood dripped off my chin.

"The Reapers are starting to retreat it seems. Those who didn't make it over here, you better be dead you lot, or else you are gonna have a nice, long chat with the rest of us on the way back to the warehouse."

Still Scud just sat there, but then almost too suddenly some sort of switch booted him up again and he stood up, pointed and shouted,  
"What the **fuck**!" Raising my hands I stood where I was,  
"Scud, I mean it I can explain."  
"Oh, come, on! Explain? Explain! You know what, I was already trying to deal with your little _thing_ between you and that fucking Scottish vampire bastard, but this just takes the fucking cake! Why the fuck didn't you ever say anything! Fuck's sake I'm not stupid-I mean- I _knew_ you were different, I _**knew**_ you were hiding something, but this is…_**Fuck**_! This is something else." He clutched his hand between his hands and paced, before turning back to me, "You better have a god damn good explanation."  
"Scud, I'm not exactly human."  
"_Well, no fucking shit_! I can see that _**now**_! Why, didn't, you tell me sooner?!"  
"I figured you'd be better off not knowing!" He glowered as he crossed his arms tightly, "I'm being serious, I honestly thought it would be best for you." I paused a gazed and the scars peeking out from the bottom of his shirt, causing him to shuffle and cover them up. "Especially after what happened to you…and the way you'd freeze up whenever Blade walked in to the room…when we first took you in you were a bloody nervous wreck and-" I took in a raspy breath, I really wasn't feeling too well at the moment. Between the stress of changing and this little situation I'm in, my stomach's having a sudden acrobatic session. "Scud…You didn't need another monster around. You needed someone normal, someone you could relate to, someone human. So I did what I do best and I pretended. I did it for you Scud. Ignorance is bliss, whoever came up with that was a genius. I did plan to tell you, but something would always come up when I finally got up the courage to and I-…Do you honestly think you would have been comfortable knowing anything about what I was? ...Not to mention all the things I've done."  
"You're fucking Viv, I know you, of course I would-" Maybe it was just the stress, but something inside me snapped.

"You know me because _you were comfortable with me knowing you_…But had you known, had I told you what I was, had you ever seen me for what I am now, would you have been okay with that?"  
"For fuck's sake-"

"Look me in the eye Scud." I watched him turn his head slightly, "All the way Scud." He stared at me, in my glowing eyes, greener than burning emerald fires and colder than iced stone. The veins that laced around them darkened, now visible underneath my skin. And I growled as I let my fangs extend over my lips, my fingers to curl, enhancing the bestial look of my clawed hands. The sound of cracking of bones shattering and reforming, muscles quivering and tensing as the fire spread and you could see my breath floating through the air in rolling wisps of steam. And I saw the shudder he tried to hide and I saw the little beads of sweat ball on his brow. He was nervous, and he had a right to be. The hidden circular scar at the back of my neck began to pulse and I growled again, "Can you honestly say that this doesn't scare you?" His mouth twitched.

Then he turned to swing the doors open to run, only to reveal several Reapers running in our direction, Blade just behind them. The idiot ran through the storm of bullets and turned right, causing the Reapers to give chase. Not even taking the time to address Blade, I pointed at Priest, snatched up my whip and ran after the Reapers. Oh this day just kept getting better and better.

Lashing out with my whip I mercilessly maimed one of the creatures, reducing it to a pile of ash, but Scud and the other two just kept running. Thankfully, these Reapers seemed to be slower and clumsier than the others. They must not have had the chance to feed yet. Well, too bad, they're not going to today either. Managing to entangle the second's ankles, tripping it over I smashed its head open with my foot and fried it's brains. Scud was running towards the entrance, he threw the doors open and burst out in to the world of light. Hesitating I stopped just shy of the light.  
"Scud!" I peered out from the shadows to see him halfway across the freeway, with no way to avoid the oncoming blur of a Reaper chasing after him like a freightliner truck from hell. Jesus Christ, were they _that_ desperate! Hissing at the rays of light I winced as I braced myself. Scud, if I live through this I swear to God I'm going to show you _how well_ you're whip works. And then I was in the middle of the freeway, clutching on to Scud's shoulder as I pulled him out of the way and kept running, grimacing as I smelt the distinct scent of burning flesh. My back is going to need a hell of a lot of aloe vera gel when I get home. Already knowing my destination I sprinted in to the alley, jumped over the massive piles of junk and crashed in to the hidden door, slamming in to the wall opposite. Quickly turning back I watch the Reaper collapse just in the safety of the shadows, but I guess the damage was done as it sunk in to a pile of ash and embers, drifting about and down the hall.

I just lay there for a while, panting and wincing as Scud regained his breath. I groaned as I got up first, my back must be at least a little charred. This wasn't good, already I felt those tiny pangs seemingly from my stomach. No, I fed recently I shouldn't have to. But they persisted, gnawing at me from the inside and causing me to feel nauseous. Gulping I backed away from Scud, slinking further in to the building,  
"Scud?" He raised his head, then sat up, "Go find Blade, Scud." He frowned as he jumped to his feet,  
"Uh-uh, no way, not alone I'm not! And I'm not done yelling at you yet for lying to me for the past two years-" Suddenly dashing at him I threw him from the building and growled from the shadows,  
"SCUD. **GO**. **NOW**." He didn't need to be told another time, in a flash he was gone. Groaning I held my stomach with one hand, and let the other support me as I walked, dragging across walls so neglected that the wall's paint was peeling and everything smelt like dust. I knew this place, and I knew where I was going. Even if I did hate the subways. Sometimes, you'd be unlucky enough to catch a whiff of the nearby sewers.

I dragged myself out of the hole in the wall, and could already smell blood. And there was laughter. And there was blood. Groaning I held my head and slinked over to the source hiding in the shadows. It was a couple of punks, probably some "accidentals" as they were called. Humans that turned rather than died when the vampire fed. And as was typical of these kinds of accidentals, they were drugged up, lusty and generally up to no good. They had cornered a mild looking woman, still in her work inform, and were making all sorts of jeers at her.  
"I bet you taste better than you smell."  
"I bet she _feels_ better than she tastes." Growling I limped out,  
"Didn't your mothers ever teach you not to play with your food?" They turned, and their faces fell,  
"Well fucking hell, look at that, you look all sorts of fucked up." I smiled menacingly s I straightened up a little and approached,  
"Back off, bitch. We've got dibs on Miss Daisy here." With a snarl I snatched the front of the first hoodlums shirt and drew him closer, fangs bared completely as I gazed down at him hungrily, eyes feral,  
"I'm not here for _Daisies_."

Then all I could remember was red and chasing, before coming to and finding myself in one of the deeper parts of the old subway. Groaning I leant back against a wall, I'd lost it. And I'd been doing so well. Slowly I began to slump, and the need to wretch overcame me. Fighting I sat down on the grotty ground, dizzy and nauseous. Oh, why did I have to lose it around a trio of druggies? They never agree with me. Then I felt my consciousness begin to slip, panicking I fought to stay awake, I've really over did it this time. But as my lids grew heavy and the world began to fade, I swear, a hand came up to catch my falling form, and a pair of baby blue eyes stared down at me as the darkness crept in.


	9. 8: OverDue Introductions

When I opened my eyes I was actually a little surprised to find myself in what appeared to be a metal room…Standing up I brushed myself off and looked around. There were notes taped up everywhere, wavering where they were. Feeling a draft I turned behind me, to see a big red door. Placing a hand on it I slowly lowered my ear to it to hear whispering… And when I felt something warm at my feet I quickly looked down to see a growing pool of blood trickling in from underneath. A growl from behind me caused me to quickly turn, and I wasn't even half surprised to find the meat hooks hanging from the ceiling…Those bloody corpses hanging helplessly by whatever skin they still possessed, with blank toe tags secured…This is the part where I usually wake up. Glancing around nervously I took a few cautious steps forward, and heard the growl again. I shuffled closer to the source, and the further I shuffled the darker it grew…the hotter it got...and the more the corpses silently screamed. Blood began to run from the words scrawled all over the swaying parchments that fluttered up a storm and began to float through the air, only to fall and become one with the river of blood that seemed to be crawling after me. Repressing a shudder I picked up pace, come on Viv, wake up already! And then that, little, circular scar at the back of my neck began to throb and my head quickly stung me with a dull headache. And then it growled again. Looking up I saw that the almost endless sea of hooks and notes had ended, and a shadowed cage just a ways up ahead. I felt the blood lap at my heels, then curl around my feet, and to my shock, bloody footprint slowly began to appear in front of me, as if walking towards the cage. I turned around to go back, only to find that there was no back, there wasn't anything there anymore. Then, from behind me, the growl. Slowly peeping over my shoulder I found a pair of glowing green eyes staring out at me. Bloody paw prints surrounding the perimeter of its cage. My insides began to squirm, my head pounded and my scar felt like I was being stabbed with a red hot needle, but even then, I walked forwards. I tried to will myself to stop, but too soon I found myself staring back in to those eyes. The pupils were slitted, and it felt like they were piercing my very soul as they gazed at me. And silently a form crept out on all four paws, a spotted coat rippling from the muscles hidden just underneath it, and ears twitching. Its two long fangs curled over its chin, and from between its curling black lips a tongue darted out to taste the air, then it sat there in its silence. A smiling Sabertooth. Then from the shadows above the cage leapt a bloody corpse of a man…

His fangs catching the light before he tore my throat out.

I woke up on cold ground, a situation I had not missed in the slightest since the last time it happened. Disorientated I stared at the marble floor beneath me, thinking aloud,  
"And that, is why I will never feed on a junkie, _**ever**_, _again_." I shifted a little and winced, my back was still burnt a little, must only be superficial now. I was sore, but tried to sit up anyways, that's when I heard the clanging, and it was only when I shifted to better see what caused it that I realised that the wall I was next to was made of metal, as were the others walls, and staring across the piles of assorted boxes and crates that decorated the floor, the door looked to be metal too…In fact, this looked suspiciously like an old bank vault…which would mean reinforced steel concrete and everything…and that would be a problem…a big one. Twisting slightly I rapped my knuckles against it…and frowned at the dull sound it produced and how hard it was…Yup, this was an old vault. Quickly getting up I jumped over the debris and tried to pry the door open…Didn't so much as budge. Well, it was worth a shot. So, in recap, I crashed, woke up in an old bank vault, which is locked…and quickly gazing over the many boxes, am assuming alone…Which brings in to question…I turned back to the door and pressed a hand to it, how did I get here? Actually, no, better question, _who locked the door_? ...And then, I heard a growl.

Nyssa emerged from the 'quarantine room' Blade had dubbed it, and removed her latex gloves,  
"He's unconscious, but stable."  
"So…he's gonna live, right?"  
"Yes Chupa, he'll live."  
"Will he turn?"  
"I examined some blood samples, he's clean. All he has is second degree sun poisoning, he will be out of work for a while though. "  
"So don't your panties in a twist and shut up already." Chupa turned to the bald man and saluted him with the birdie in response. What was left of the Bloodpack unit turned to face Blade, glares and expectant stares boring holes in to those shades he wore constantly. He stood there with his arms folded, expressionless. Reinhardt prowled up to him, and mimicked his stance, folded arms clenching his shoulders and jaw taut.  
"You got something to say, asshole?" The vampire visibly bit down on his tongue before growling out,  
"Yeah, nice to know that fucking _Sabertooth_ has been working with you for all these years." Whistler came to stand by Blade,  
"You never asked, we never told."  
"Oh! He knew too! Well just fuck me." Reinhardt raised his arms, but at the commencing of a beeping, lowered them and with clenched fists stormed off to lurk by the door. Nyssa turned to the Daywalker,  
"You weren't ever planning on telling us were you?" He tilted his head grumbling,  
"Figured you didn't need to know." Scud started his nervous habit of chewing his thumb pad, then mumbled from the back of the room,  
"She said something similar…" He tucked his hand away, "What is a Sabertooth?"  
"Vivian is." A deep voice drawled out, and from one of the rooms Vincent emerged, phone in hand. Scud greased him off, oh, so this push fucker was in on the secret as well?  
"But, what is-"  
"Sabertooth," Asad interrupted, eyes on Scud, "refers to the serial murderer responsible for the fluctuation of vampires killed that took place about four-five years ago." Scud eyes blinked owlishly,  
"A, serial murderer?" Nyssa cleared her throat,  
"Half-bloods and pure-bloods alike were being slaughtered in masses, whole institutions were wiped out randomly. There was no distinguishable pattern, except for the cause of death. Forensic investigators discovered that most of the victims were bitten by something, or as we now know _someone_, with huge canines, sharp claws, and an animalistic, brutal method. At first, we suspected lycans but-"  
"Woah! Hold up, werewolves? There's fucking _werewolves_ in the world too?" Asad chuckled out,  
"Not for centuries there haven't been." Scud just looked plain dumbfounded, Nyssa spoke up again, "As I was saying, we hunted them to extinction when they grew out of control and our…resources, were proving to be insufficient in sustaining both our races."  
"So you killed them in the name of survival of the fittest."  
"But upon closer examination of the bite marks, the evidence didn't quite match up to any beast we knew of, the closest we got was the Smilodon Fatalis-or more commonly known as the Sabertooth Tiger…We coined the unknown assailant as 'Sabertooth' after that. But vampires being murdered are nothing abnormal, even on that scale."  
"You're welcome."  
"It's _always_ been that way, Blade."  
"We're a competitive race, and the half-bloods are particularly adept at making the wrong enemies. And even though no one ever figured out the killer's identity or motive, or lived through an encounter to tell the tale, the most abnormal factor was that they stopped just over three years ago. Just like that. Yet there was no news of its capture, its death, there was simply an end. It was rumoured that you killed it actually, Blade…but as it turns out, that was not the case, at all. As Sabertooth, who we also now know goes by the name of Viv, _and is_ _alive and well_…not to mention still here in Prague."  
"Be pissed about it all you want, what it doesn't change is the fact that Nomak's still on the loose. And as long as he's on the loose, new Reapers are gonna be turned. Unless we figure out where he's hiding out at and how he's getting around undetected, so we've got work to do. Take him," "Somewhere out of the way if he won't be of use anymore, rest up, re-load and meet back here in eight hours."

"No way, Jose." "We want to know everything. Perhaps starting with what's her name, Viv? Yeah, be nice to know if we're going to have to start catering to any new appetites Priest may develop, or maybe arrange a new dental plan."  
"It's not our place to say."  
"Blade," "No one's seen or heard from Vivian since the Reapers attacked…And, we need to know what she is at least, to assess whether we need to be worried about her being able of contracting the Reaper strain. If she can there may be a possibility of another mutation taking place, and what with her current abilities and what the average Reaper is capable of…We may have to take extra measures."  
"I don't see how bumping her off once and for all, Reaper or not, would be bad thing. She's nothing but a reckless animal under all th-"  
"I take great offense to that on her behalf." An all too familiar Southern accent drawled from the shadows, and sure enough, the prince of darkness Vincent appeared. However, there was no humour to be found upon his face or in his voice, and he looked a little…bedraggled.  
"And although I don't exactly trust the majority of those here-"  
"Feeling's mutual, hillbilly."  
"Although I don't trust the majority of those here…I, understand the necessity." "I've known Vivian, for a _very_, long time."  
"Well, get on with it then."  
"I might just change my mind and leave you empty handed, or having to beg the Hunters."  
"You may resume without any further interruptions."  
"Well, I suppose I should start at the beginning then." With a swish of his coat Blade was out of sight, Whistler limped away to work in the nearby shed. Scud leant back in his chair and made himself comfortable, something told him that this would take a while.

I started to slowly retreat backwards as a series of clinks and clanks started up, then all too soon the big metal door swung open. And then a man walked in, the door shut behind him and the clanging started again. There was something familiar about the worn-out old coat and the fingerless gloves he wore that nagged at a blurry memory in the back of my head. And as he stood there, still as a statue, there was something about the way the hood obscured part of his face, the pronounced cheekbones, the scar on his chin and the way he was fidgeting made me uneasy. But it wasn't until he raised his head slightly, and baby blue eyes peered out from the shade of the coat that it struck me like lightning. He looked different from before, his skin was paler, his veins a blue spidery lace across it, the shadows around his eyes and his lips darker…and those eyes, they were bloodshot and yet…brighter. It, was strange…this was definitely the same man from the House of Pain, but he looked like a Reaper, except for the fact that he appeared to be…that he appeared to be. And then, in another sudden realisation, I felt my stomach squirm and my blood chill,  
"You?...You're…No." He tilted his head at me, "_You're,_ Jared Nomak?" He didn't even blink, as if he was almost expecting it, and in a rusty voice he croaked,  
"Yes." He took a step forward, but when I flinched he stilled, and tilted his head again, "But, who, _are_, you?"

A ray of sunlight cuts through an icy window pane above, angling down near Nyssa by the door. She focuses on it. Longingly. Then she raises her arm and reaches towards it. Closer, closer - just barely extending her hand into the light. Her fingertips blacken and smoke, yet she endures the pain for another moment. Finally, she withdraws her hand, inspecting the damage - then notices Blade has risen and is staring at her,  
"I guess the sob story's over then?" She nods, and then he raises a brow and indicates to her hand. She wets her lips absentmindedly with a lick,  
"Each day is a little life."  
"What?"  
"Each day is a little life. Every waking and rising a little birth, every fresh morning a little youth, every going to rest and sleep a little death." She looks back to the sunlight, wistful, straightens herself up. His only reply is a long, expressionless stare, "I wanted to thank you before I left."  
"For what?"  
"It would've been easy for you to let me die back there today…but you didn't." He shrugged and averted his gaze, suddenly taking interest in polishing his sword,  
"I wouldn't read too much into it." She crosses over to him, who suddenly stiffens as she reaches for his face. Blade stops her hand.  
"You don't want to go there."  
"Why?"  
"Because one of us is going to kill the other before this ends."  
"It doesn't have to be like that. We don't have to be enemies."  
"I'm only going to be useful to Damaskinos as long as the hunt is still on. When it's over, all bets are going to be off, and you know that."  
"If that's true, then why'd you save me?" Blade stands now, moving to the ice-covered window, troubled by the question. Damned if he knows the answer. After a beat, Nyssa rises too, keeping to the shadows.  
"Why do you hate us so much?"  
"I am a hunter. A weapon. It's what I do. It's in my blood."  
"Well it's in mine, too. Am I evil because I want to survive? What about a wolf? What about any predator?" When he tries to leave, she pursues him, circling around in front of him so he has to face her again. "The only difference between you and me is that I made peace with who I was a long time ago. I'm not ashamed of what I am." She folds her arms, "You haven't been hunting us all these years. You've been hunting yourself." He makes to grab her arm, only to be deflected by her own, "What about Vivian? She's been missing for a day now, Scud and Whistler searched every dust mote in that building for her, they're worried, more than worried, and only you appear unaffected."  
"You know what she is now, what does she mean to you?"  
"In all my life, I've never met an outsider so accepting of us, and so quickly. Not to mention that not every woman can put up with Priest's antics, yet alone match them…And despite what Vinova told us, I still see nothing but good intentions in her."  
"You sure this isn't just guilt you're feeling? After all," "It was one of your kind that dragged her though hell and back."  
"What Frost did has no relation to me. He was not the first to commit atrocities in the search of invulnerability…And no doubt he will not be last. But that does not mean one vampire's actions speak for the race, and especially for me. I don't want that, to cause only suffering, I've never wanted that."  
"What do you want?"  
"Peace."  
"What if peace doesn't exist?" She frowns slightly, Blade moves away. She reaches for his shoulder. He whirls on her, angry, traps her hand. She tries to pull it free but he grips her wrist tightly, pulling her closer.  
"You're hurting me."  
"Pain cuts the deepest, isn't that what Priest said?" And closer, their faces are just inches apart now, "Reminds you you're alive?" And Blade kisses her, hungrily, she responds in kind and then, just as quickly as it had started, it ends. They both pull back, and he releases her.

Scud sits on Viv's bed, absentmindedly wriggling his fingers above the kittens as he blinks away tears. Then he hears the door begin to creak, and quickly puts on a poker face and turns his head slightly. Whistler takes a few steps in to the room and leans against a wall, he could tell by the scuffle of his lame leg.  
"Now you see why she didn't want to tell you, right?" Scud gives a curt nod of his head, and continues to play with the mewling balls of fur half-heartedly. When he thinks he's strong enough and the red has left his eyes, he turns his head and speaks up,  
"Do you think…she'll come back?"  
"Kid, there's no coming back from the dead." Scud lowers his eyes, "But…" Then he feels a hand on his shoulder and looks up at an awkward Whistler pulling a stern expression, "She's stronger than most men, there's a chance she might not be dead."  
"…Yeah….I guess." With a final, maybe a little too hard squeeze Whistler retreats and closes the door. Scud lies down on the bed, her scent rolling off the blankets, and tries not to cry again,  
"…Shit."

Nyssa checks the gauge, then removes the arm band,  
"Your blood pressure's fine too. With luck, you'll be up on your feet in a couple of days." Priest wrinkled his nose, "I can still only smell her. "  
Speaking of which," Reinhardt started, "We all knew she smelt a little too, _appetising_, to still be alive in her line of work, but how come we can't tell the difference between her and a human?" Nyssa retrieved a disc from her pocket and quickly started up a program on the nearby computer,  
"Because she's still somewhat human. Look," Some sort of an infrared image came up of a room full of vampires, the date at the top was from four years ago. There were three figures whose body heat was low and there were some familiar extra organs showing up, these were vampires. The lone figure in between them was warm but the strange part was, that there were extra organs present too, though definitely different in shape, but apparently inactive. Then Nyssa pressed play and as the vampires took a step closer, a sudden spike in Viv's body temperature occurred and within split seconds they were active, other things changed too, muscles, brain even her bones were suddenly shows weird signs of activity and they all watched as she tore apart the poor victims with her newly formed claws. The head tilted up at the camera then jumped, and everything went black. Nyssa turned back at them, "as you can see, the process is exactly like what occurs in lycanthropy-"  
"But we already clarified that she's no a lycan."  
"_Yes_, but it does not change the fact that whatever she is, it's extremely similar, too similar to ignore in fact, the same with her organs. They are in the same placement in the anatomy and appear to function relatively the same, yet are different."  
"So, she's not a vampire, not a werewolf and certainly not a human. So what is she?" Nyssa narrowed her eyes. "Ah, haven't figured that out yet."  
"I couldn't recover any files relation to Frost or his activities. If I had more time I-"  
"Yes okay, great." Priest interrupted from the medical bed, and gestured to the wound on his neck "What did you extract from this and am I gonna turn into something like her or what?"

Nyssa pulled up another file, images this time that were clearly microscopic samples, "It's not a venom or a virus at all, in fact, it's more like a drug and its main role is to assist in feeding it appears." She pulled up some images pilfered from the House of Pain's hidden security cameras of the girl unknowingly under study and pointed to her long fangs. "As you noticed her fangs are exceedingly long and retractable. She can keep them almost entirely hidden, a little exposed or fully retracted upon will." Another image appeared, this one computed generated, a reconstruction of Viv's mouth. "But this may not be just for camouflage among humans and vampires alike. Based off what Vinova gave me and Priest's wound, she actually uses the force of both her jaw muscles and gravity when she impales her prey. The fangs easily rip in to the exposed flesh-they might even capable of breaking bones, allowing her to quickly begin feeding. Even if her victim manages to escape her hold, the wound inflicted is severe and blood loss would soon cause them to collapse. However she appears to primarily use these as a hook, or a grip of sorts, while she injects this," She once more mentioned towards the microscope image, also pulling up an image of a double helix with parts highlighted, "To immobilise her prey."  
"Yeah, but what is it…and what does it do, exactly?"  
"It's a complicated structure of numerous hormones and biochemicals, including testosterone, cortisol, oestradiol, oxytocin, dopamine and endorphins. There were traces of protein and iron too."  
"A few of those sound familiar."  
"I'm sure they do, all of them are involved in sexual arousal." Silence hushed over the room, Chupa raised an eyebrow at Priest who was trying not to blush or give away anything that might hint at the effects the fluid had had on him when he gained consciousness in the van.

"Wanna explain the details of that a little more?" The Puerto Rican chuckled playfully, waggling his eyebrows.  
"The primary canines ripping through would be an extremely painful and traumatic experience, the stress would of course stimulate the fight or flight response in to activity, increasing the possibility of the victim attempting to fight back. The proximity she would already be sharing with the potential victim would be just as dangerous for her as to them." She quickly referred to the reconstructed moth image once more, "These, secondary canines, sit just behind the primaries, as soon as they come in contact with the flesh, this muscle contracts, the fluid is released in to the blood stream of the individual. The effects aren't immediate, but the sympathetic system would have already sped up heart rate and therefore blood circulation before this, it would not take long before symptoms appear. In layman's terms the fluid will act as a pain killer first, then begin stimulating various parts of the body and brain, signalling receptors to begin secreting more hormones until-"  
"How does it work?." Reinhardt interrupted.  
"If you'd let me finish, **please**. The level of hormones then experienced to the victim is well above the normal range, it inhibits their actions and ability to move as they are overwhelmed by it and, essentially "overdose". They become weak and incapable of coherent thought…along with the usual characteristics of arousal."  
"Brings 'love-bites' to a whole new level." Nyssa ignored the older man's joking as she turned to Priest, and with a serious stare she indicated to the wound.  
"When she bit you she drained the Reaper's venom from you, numbed you and then killed whatever traces were left…What she did saved your life."

Priest rubbed his shoulder through the bandages and winced, then nodded but said nothing. He slowly slid to his feet and exited the ward without a word, too preoccupied as he made his way to his chambers. He thought about what he had been told upon waking, the conversations with the girl and reflected on her words which floated around his head. Reaching his room he closed the door behind him and shuffled forward.  
_" I base my opinion of someone on their actions."_He groaned in frustration as he crawled in to his bed, minding his shoulder and neck. Unfortunately for him, this sun poisoning was going to be keeping him from doing much physically. This meant he would be doing much contemplating of the strange girl who had gotten under his skin (in both literal and metaphorical terms). Also… in whether or not he should interfere with the inevitable outcome…when the Reapers were taken care of…and the group of Hunters were to be betrayed…What if she was still alive?...What would he do then?

What would he do then indeed.


	10. 9: Limbo

A/N: So...In case people were wondering why it took so long to update here's some new for you...I have officially completed my high school education. For the past few months I had to focus on my studies and exams, then I took some time off to de-stress. Then finally I decided to get back to writing today so without further ado, you may continue reading if you so wish.  
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"But, who, are, you?" I clenched my fists until my nails were biting the skin on my palms, a tremble slowly working its way up my spine as I tilted my head,  
"What does it matter to you?" He took another step forward, but as if reading my intentions behind me shifting my weight he suddenly appeared in front of me. And as he went to raise his hand I lashed out, only to find that in a blur of motion he caught both my hands and had me awkwardly pinned to the wall. Clear liquid oozed out from the only scratch I inflicted across his cheek, before the flesh quickly threaded itself together. His stare was steely and calculating, red veins lacing around and choking baby blue.

"What have I done to have stirred such hostility?" He rasps, his voice husky and rough, a cough escaping him as he twists his head away for a moment. Then bloodshot blue eyes are upon me again. I stare back, trying to steady an anticipating unease in my gut. But it appeared that he was seriously waiting for a response. Uncertainly I managed to speak up,  
"You kidnapped me, y'know, for starters. Also, just a little complaint," I made as much of a gesture as I could, "This is extremely uncomfortable." He backed off a couple of steps, a warning etched across his face, daring me to try anything else.  
"You collapsed at the subway, only a lesser man would have left you where you lay for another to find." I rubbed my wrists and glared, okay so that was kind of nice of him, but…  
"What about this?" I gestured towards the cluttered room surrounding me. He growls as he started to fidget with his coat,  
"A necessary precaution. You were a danger to…It was this or kill you. I thought you would prefer this." I raise my eyes slightly,  
"Oh, well…thanks for your consideration? But uh, vaults full of crates and junk is hardly hospitality." He crosses his arms and glares, "…Not that I'm complaining or anything. Just being alive is pretty cool." He just stares at me, before he shuffles his feet and lowers his eyes to the ground, head slightly turned as he shyly states,  
"I am, open, about getting you anything that might…make your stay more comfortable. There is warm water and a change of clothes waiting if you'll accept it." When I arch my eyebrow he quickly hisses, "I'm not heartless."  
"If letting me go is out of the question-" His brow lowers threateningly, "Okay, totally out of the question…Well if I'm going to be here for a while then… blankets and some food would be highly appreciated if it could be arranged. Oh and, food food, not, you know, people." The cornor of his mouth twitched disdainfully when I clarified the difference, but he turns his head in thought, then glanced back,  
"I'll do what I can." As if silently cued the door begins to open, he casts a warning glare over his shulder when I take a step forward, but from somewhere behind the door he retrieves a bundle of clothing, the other a bucket full of water and a towel. He leaves them by the wall, then wordlessly leaves…That was actually quite a civilised conversation as far as hostage situations go. At least I'm not in immediate danger I suppose…Unless the food he brings back is poisoned or something.

I creep closer and examine the pile of clothing which consisted of a faded red and black baseball tee, a pair of plain grey track pants with a shredded knee and even a pair of socks. They smelt like mothballs and looked well-worn, but hey, better than nothing. As if on cue I'm all too aware of how I reeked of sweat and was still covered in dried blood. I guess I really did need to wash up. Glancing down at the bucket I see a sponge floating in the middle and I tentatively test the water, it's lukewarm, but it'll do too. Cleanliness, clothes and cotton had never been so appreciated as I sighed in contentment upon dressing. I can't help but wonder where he got these anyway, though I don't think he'll appreciate it if I ask him. I'm in a bit of a delicate situation at the moment. I need to find out why he's decided to keep me around, surely he has another reason? Maybe he wants something from Blade? My mind ponders over possibilities, perhaps he was hoping for a truce with Hunters? That would explain why I was alive, but kidnapping me wouldn't achieve that…There's a million things racing through my head, none of them really making any sense…

I only realised he had returned when the door clicks and wakes me from the slumber I had dozed off to, and of course before I could turn the door was shut already, and he stood just in front of it. He held a greasy bag and the tell-tale smell of burgers and chips wafted through the air. He held it out, and cautiously I reached to grab it. My fingers just barely brushed his, but he almost immediately whipped it to his chest as if the contact burned him. However, he did not make any move to leave, instead he rested against the door. Now I was seriously considering if the food was actually poisoned. I opened the bag and took a whiff, but smelt nothing more poisonous than whatever those fast food places already have in there. But a cautionary glance revealed that he was still standing there watching…Maybe he was just making sure that I eat before he leaves? Willing up my courage, I finally took a bite from the hamburger, to my relief not tasting anything unusual. Well he's not trying to poison me. But, I could still feel those piercing blue eyes on me. Slowly I tried to finish my meal without looking at him, but every now and then I would check. He didn't move, not even a single muscle out of place since the last time I looked. And just as I got used to the awkward silence he croaks, almost causing me to choke on a fry,  
"What…is it like?"  
"I-I'm sorry?" He's staring directly at the paper bag,  
"What does it taste like?" I glance at what remained,  
"Well, mostly like oil, ketchup with a little bit of plastic cheese and meat. What else would you expect?" He narrows his eyes and folds his arms,  
"I wouldn't know." I tilt my head and offer my fries,  
"Do you want a taste?" He shifts his weight awkwardly grimaces. I finish my meal in silence as he watches… When I look back up at him, I notice that his veins are dancing around his skin, his skins flushed pale, and his breathing is laboured… And his eyes are red. Instinct has me tensing and suddenly all too aware of his movements as he twitches. His voice is hushed and raspy as he tilts his head,  
"Am I truly that disturbing?" His lips curl as a cough tearing through his chest. Almost all of his teeth are bared, sharp and jagged as he begins to stalk his way towards me. I stand my ground but clench my fists and watch his every move closely.

He stops just in front of me, his face only inches away so that his breath stirs my bangs as he stares down.  
"Well…You are making me feel uneasy." When I flinch he twitches, yet he raises one hand and slowly drags a knuckle down my cheek. His touch is feather-like, yet heat rolls off him in waves. He tilts his head, eyes burning in to mine as he lowers his mouth closer to my ear and rasps,  
"A woman once wrote of an unnatural creature that did not come to be what he was through his own means yet suffered for it. And to his creator he said," He pauses as he notices a stray hair had fallen in to my eyes, and gently he brushes it away, stroking his fingertips along my cheekbone before he rests his hand at my jaw and lifts my face so that I am looking at him directly, "If I cannot inspire love," A flicker of emotion crosses his eyes, "…I will cause fear." I tilt my head back at him,  
"Is that what this is all about? Someone hurt you so you've decided to terrorise the streets of Prague in revenge? …Do you realise how _childish_ that is?" That hit a nerve. His nails are clawing in to my wrists as he clutches them, his grip shaky as a beastly growl rumbles from his chest.  
"My goal is not so…**Childish**. I have a more directed hatred, everything I'm doing is necessary if I'm going find the one I'm after." He sneers as his brow twitches, "And I was more than hurt." His bloodshot eyes are wet and his voice cracks, but his lips are still curled around his teeth, "I promised myself long ago that if my existence is to be this miserable, I would grant myself vengeance. Even if it was the only retribution I would ever receive." He lowers his eyes to the ground and his trembling worsens. He sounds worn. I didn't need to be a genius to understand, and in a moment of sympathy I let my cheek rest on his. And though he flinches he does not pull away, instead he leans in to the touch slightly and a sigh sweeps across his lips.

"Nomak, revenge…is that really what you want most?"

Then all too suddenly he drops my wrists, instead cupping the back of my head and his lips graze against mine ardently. But almost as quickly as it happened, he pulls himself away and stares at me in confusion, as if he didn't even understand what he just did. He retreats further, a hand over his mouth as he casts his eyes to the walls. Even the air feels still as both stand in our corners, before with an apprehensive rasp he speaks,

"I…" Briefly he looks back up at me, before quickly turning his back as he reaches for the door. "I need to feed, I'll return shortly."

Shock fills me to the bone, and it is not for a short while longer I somewhat come back to reality and touch my fingertips to my lips. They're still warm with his kiss. And I'm not completely sure what to think, other than the fat that I didn't expect that reaction. Or for him to be so gentle. Nothing seems to make sense any more. Not finding it within myself to sleep again, I gaze across the room for a distraction. And see the crates.

Scud took a long drag of the joint in his fingers, a relief from the sudden return of actual emotions that passed over him. He hadn't broken down like that since he was mugged in middle school. Viv didn't mean that much to him, really…he just had to keep saying that. That's what he did, he denied ever feeling anything for anyone so he could convince himself he wasn't hurt. Maybe one day it will actually work, and he hoped it was soon. Because tonight they found where the Reapers were hiding and figured out how they were getting about…tomorrow they will raid the sewers…and he wanted to be the exact opposite of emotional when they found either a body, or a once familiar she-Reaper. He feels the pangs in his chest again, and flicks away what remained the smouldering stick, moving on to his next distraction. He gets up to go search his collection of raw materials for some phosphor rods. If this works, then maybe all he'll find is an unrecognisable pile of ash.

I'm not sure how much time has passed, minutes or hours, not having access to a clock or a window will do that to your perception of the matter. But I've been half-heartedly rummaging through the crates, and most clearly have been since whenever this vault was last in use. Some were rotten to the point that they practically fell apart upon contact, some held various useless items like paperweight, others were simply empty. But the last crate, looked fairly new. It was not covered in cobwebs or dust, and unlike the others, was not sealed. Lifting up the I fully recognised just how different this crate was to the others. For on the bottom of the lid, was an oddly familiar looking double-helix, just like the one on the roof of the Damaskinos building. It was full to the brim with folders, haphazardly piled within and it appeared that there was more lying under the ones I could see. The one on particular was bent, dented, and generally looked very beaten over the years. And I was sure those random splashes of red was blood. I touched one and frowned…they were old, but not that old. I could have left it alone, just leave it lie in its crate in the corner. But I guess I wasn't thinking about what exactly could possibly be within it, because I didn't. The folder was full of sheets of paper, reports mostly. I skim through them, only glancing over each nearly indiscernibly scripted article, but when one bolded word caught my eye…only then I realised…what these were reports on. Each one was a different day, but it was the contents that unnerved me. _Subject is responding well to the virus, higher levels of sedation required, subject becoming increasingly hostile. Subject dead, new subject's test commences treatment tomorrow._ Flicking through some more I came to a tab labelled 'Hybridization: Sequence R'. The contents…horrified wouldn't fully suffice exactly how they made me feel. The Reaper strain didn't evolve. I flipped through the documents, finding old images of a young boy, bald, veiny and had an unmistakable scar running down his chin. He was always strapped to a table, naked and vulnerable to the scalpels that cut and the needles that pierced, and it appeared he was always awake through it all. In every photo he was hooked up to possibly hundreds of machines. The doctors and nurses were always operating them, or on the young Nomak. In one, his mouth was almost unhinged from the force of his scream, as the surgeons pried apart his sliced torso, revealing his inner organs. The image of the original Reaper grew older, but the scene never changed. One photo looked up at the camera, tears still wet on his cheeks, and in his eyes… an unheard plead. Soon however, it appeared, as if he no longer had the strength to manage even that, and his eyes gazed up blankly at the ceiling. Devoid of all emotion. Sickness crept through my system as I cringed at each no doubt painful procedure, old wounds starting to sting and the scar at the back of my neck twinged. Then I came across one yellowed, crinkled and stained page, it was written in red inked scrawl…this wasn't a report…no, this looked like a diary entry, or a note. Holding it up closer to my face I tried to discern the mess of scratches and scribbles,

_The blood they have in the IV, does nothing for my thirst or the burning like they said it would. I can no longer complain though, it hurts too much. My throat feels sore, hot and like its cracking, turning to ash inside of me. It's always so hot, I feel like a never faltering blaze rages on inside of me, and that my veins are flowing with molten lava, killing me slowly from inside. Father's face is nothing more than a distant memory now, and the seams are unravelling. Does he not care? Where is he? My questions go unanswered. Why must I suffer? It hurts so much. It's agonising, the loneliness. I want to go home. I want a home to go home to. I want so little. Please Father, save me! I don't want this anymore! Father I'm sorry, I am not strong enough. The pain will kill me, I know it will! Father…why don't you answer? Silent. This room, is cold, unforgiving and silent…Just like you Father._

I closed the folder quickly, refusing to read anymore, feeling like I was intruding on something a little too intimate. As I lowered my arms, letting the files fall from my fingers …a gloved hand slammed the lid back on. I didn't hear the door open. But sure enough, a peek over my shoulder confirmed his return. I smelt the blood before I saw it, smeared and splattered all over his face, small streams of it still flowing freely from his chin. My breath hitched as I leaned away from him and covered my nose with my hand. He backed off a couple of steps and tried to subtly wipe the blood off with his arm. But his eyes were still red and bloodshot. His breathing was a little ragged as he darted his eyes over me and the bundle of files. His scar split a little and I could see the barbs inside his mouth squirming as he managed to mumble a monotonous,  
"Did you read them?" I honestly couldn't tell if he was mad or not.  
"If you didn't want me to read them you shouldn't have locked me up in the same room, or at least told me not to. Then I might not have."  
"…I wondered if you would become curious."  
"You, wanted me to find them, didn't you."  
"Yes." He turns his eyes back to me, "And no." I could see the conflict of emotions this time, in his eyes. They were slowly returning to that sorrowful baby blue. But…those red eyes that blazed with fire, searing as if they glared hard enough they could scorch my very soul. I'd seen that animosity before, the hate, the pain, the desire to tear, rip and massacre anything and everything…and I finally understood him.  
"Jared-" He snarls fiercely at me,  
"Don't call me by that name." Realising his outburst he hides his face and casts his eyes downwards and hisses softly, "I can't stand to hear it."  
"I know, Nomak. I know what that's like."  
"How could you?" Slowly I step close until I was just in front of him. He twitches when I raise my hand, but gently I place it on his chest reassuringly,  
"That place, deep inside. It's dark, it's hurt, it's angry and alone. It's almost suffocating it's so miserable there. I know Nomak because…" I laced my fingers with his and guided his hand to the back of my neck, to that small, seemingly insignificant scar.

"I've been there too."


	11. 10: The Girl Who Didn't Exist

A dark haired man burst through the unit's shabby front doors and smiled at the gory scene, blood decorating the walls in splatters and pooling on the floor. The gust blowing inside scattered ashes across the timber planks in ghostly clouds and slithering out from his mouth like an ethereal snake a trail of smoke followed in his wake. And his cold eyes glowed in the shadows a hellish shade of blue.

He carelessly stepped over various bodies as he made his way to the living room. Quinn and Mercury were already there, keeping a small bleeding and beaten group on their knees.

"Ladies and gentlemen." He leered at the captive vampires, "I hate wasting such a collection of skilled persons such as yourselves. So, you lucky folk have a choice. Work for me," He dropped the cigarette to the floor and crushed it with his foot, "Or be slaughtered where you are." They just glared at him, fangs bared in a unified hiss, "No takers? Well then." He turned to leave and sneered at Quin, "Take their fangs."  
"Hold up, Frost." He turned his head at the burly man, one brow raised, "There's something interesting in the basement, but we can't get it open." Quin mentioned towards the half-bloods with his gun, "And no one here is being very helpful." Frost swooped in to the group and clutched a man at the front by the neck,  
"Not being helpful? Well, perhaps now you'll help me then." He dug his nails in until blood was gushing out of the wound and trickling from his lips, before throwing him against a wall with a force that cracked it and caused the house to shake. He stalked over and pulled the man's head backwards at on odd angle by his hair so he was choking on his own blood, "Show me what he's talking about."

He was being led down a surprisingly long hallway, they must have been well and truly off the property by now. Eventually they came across a huge, metallic door. It was badly dented, a clear foot shaped depression by the handle. But it hadn't budged. A keypad with numbers and letters was on the wall, but upon closer inspection it had been wiped clean and none of the numbers looked particularly more worn than the others. No matter, if you can't do it, force someone else to. He let his eyes slide over to his beaten and bruised hostage and gestured to the device. When he didn't receive a response, he curled his fingers around the man's still tender neck and rested his thumb at the apple of his throat. Hisses were exchanged as Deacon Frost domineered over the other vampire, a warning threat seeping from his lips,

"I'll ask only one more time." But still he didn't comply, instead spitting a thick, bloody wad in Frost's face. Frost didn't even wipe it off before he slammed the other in to the metal door, an audible crunch tearing through the air as his ribcage was crushed, clawed fingers ripping through his delicate organs and curled around his heart. "I'll stop if you do as I say." Only pained groans and a weak hiss bubbled over his bloody lips. Frost knelt down and steadied the stubborn bastard's shaky gaze on him. "Now isn't this interesting? You really don't want me to have whatever's in there. What makes it so valuable that you think this stupid display is worth it?" He brushed the matted hair off of his face in a mocking show of affection, "Here's the thing, whatever's in there isn't yours, and it isn't your gang's. It's Dragonetti's. And whatever it is, he clearly doesn't want me to have it. But the more you refuse me something, the more I want it. And I have a habit of doing whatever I need to get what I want." He still stared up at him with a defiant glare and sneer. Frustrated, Frost resorted to the other form of persuasion. He brought his face closer, bocking out everything else from the man's view. "You think Dragonetti cares about a slum dwelling fucker like you? He doesn't give a shit about what happens to you. He won't even notice if you go missing, or every other turned bastard that works for him. He just cares about him, and the other fucking so called purebloods. " He removed a hand from the other's face and laid it across his chest and licked his lips, "But me? I can be reasonable if I want to be. But you have to make me want to be." He tilted his head towards the dented door and with a sly smile slowly turned back, "You open that door for me, I'll let you live. You'll be free to go and fuck off somewhere else. "There it was, that little furrow of the brow and the narrowing of eyes. He traced a cross across his heart, "You have my word."

Hesitantly, the man stared at him, before a shaky whisper breezed across his bloody lips,

"5-512." His eyes seemed to suddenly age a thousand centuries and dulled as he let his eyes close in defeat, "The code, is romans 512." Frost patted him on the back before letting the stupid fucker rest against the wall.

When he keyed in the code what he found, was, not in a million years what he expected. The room was painted a soft white with exception to a child's various colourful paintings, with toys and books scattered across the floor, lacy curtains framed a small bed. Apparently unfazed by the goings on outside her door, a small girl sat by her bed, blonde hair that barely brushed her shoulders swayed as she rocked herself. All she wore in the cold room was a pair of long white socks and a nightgown. She sang quietly to a worn plush cat she held in her arms.

"_Golden slumbers kiss your eyes, smiles await you when you rise. Sleep, pretty baby. Do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby._" But as if sensing something was different, she turned towards the door and stared at him with dull green eyes.

All that security and secrecy, all that effort he went through to find what Dragonetti was hiding, all for some little that looked half dead? She watched him as he circled the room, clutching the cat to her chest. He raked his bloody fingers through his hair, and even when a few drops landed on his already stained cheek she didn't do anything else but stare. But then she spoke in a soft, solemn voice.  
"Are you sick too?"

This was the first stranger I'd seen in some time, was I going to move again? But when he started to look around my room I realised he was different from the others somehow. He had scruffy brown hair, and was whiter than me. He was splattered in blood, and he didn't look very happy.  
"Are you sick too?" He flashed a smile as he took a seat on my bed.  
"Nah, just pale…You ever heard of the name Dragonetti?" I nodded my head, he smiled wider,  
"You ever met him?"  
"No." "I thought a Dragonetti was some sort of dinosaur." He chuckled,  
"Well, in a way he is." He soon stopped smiling and looked around my room.  
"You ever been outside kid?"  
"No." He turned back to me,  
"Well, would you like to? I could take you." I cuddled my cat closer to me,  
"I can't…I'm too sick." He leant down and whispered,  
"I could make it go away." I raised a sceptic brow at him,  
"…With magic?" He returned a brow raise, "Like…how a magician makes people disappear?" He grinned back,  
"Kind of. Do you like magic tricks?" I nodded my head. Then he extended his hand, and I weakly shook it,  
"I'm Deacon. What's your name?" I smiled back up at him as he helped me up,  
"Vivian."  
"That's a pretty name, and what's this little guy's name?" He reached down and pretended to stroke the doll in my arms,  
"Oliver."  
"So do you and Oliver like to come with me? I have this hospital that I own. That's where I help make people better." I nodded a shy yes as he started to lead me out of the room. I walked passed a broken man who watched me sadly as I passed him. He was one of the men that would bring me the occasional sweet with my dinner. I waved goodbye to him as Deacon kept leading me down the hallway. But I didn't see his eyes close or the tears threatening to spill over as he silently prayed that I would receive a quick and painless death. Nor did I hear him release a final solemn sigh as he fell unconscious, never to wake again.

Frost relaxed as he lit up a cigarette, he let his eyes roam along the expanse of bright lights and snow slowly blanket the perfect concrete kingdom from his seat. Quinn entered the room,  
"Mercury's taken her to the labs." He let a cloud crawl from his lips and dance around his face,  
"Find anything to explain why Dragonetti has a kid locked up in one of his basements?"  
"Some soppy story about a human woman he'd been involved with." He grimaced; he'd always hated the prey fetish these purebloods seemed to harbor. Humans were food, maybe at times pets or toys. But never, should they be considered as an equal, because they're fucking not.  
"Wipe her records."  
"No need man, I found nothing on her. No birth certificate, no citizenships-"  
"She can read and write, so check the education system."  
"Already did, nothing there either, I even sifted through the missing persons, didn't find anything to worry about."  
"So, she's completely off the books?"  
"Man, as far as the officials know, she doesn't exist."  
"No outside sources aware either? What about the neighbours?" Quinn started to stroke his chin, mocking a thoughtful gesture as he smeared blood on his face, a meaningful grin curling his face,  
"What neighbours?"  
"Perfect." He rose up from the battered sofa and threw his cigarette down, "Light the place up."

I spent the rest of my childhood in that hospital, under the delusion that what I had was freedom. Once I was healthy enough to walk by myself, I was allowed to wander freely around the labs on the floor I was on but no further. Frost's visits were rare and always enjoyed, but not necessarily missed. Despite my gratitude to a life of not being confined to one room it was another man whom I favoured affections from. He was one of the doctor's from the facility, while the other doctors seemed to chill the air with something that scared me a little, he was somehow different. He was usually the first one there and last to leave. There were times when he wouldn't leave the lab for days. He never really seemed to grow tired despite working for hours straight, he didn't get distracted by the slightest thing, well, not until I started sitting at the opposite side of the desk and staring at him with Oliver in my arms. I started because I wanted to know what he was doing that was so interesting. But it looked incredibly boring. He was so strange, and I was fascinated, perhaps that was the reason why I grew so attached in the first place. At first he ignored me, or at least tried to. But every now and then he would glance up, and usually I would still be there staring, maybe reading a book. He made no effort to get to know me though, so I started mimicking him. While he was hard at work solving whatever medical conundrum he was facing, I was focusing on a book or drawing. When he'd have a drink of the red liquid he kept in a thermos, I'd have a drink from my water bottle. Sometimes I'd even fall asleep there at his desk. Almost a week had passed of this routine before he finally sighed, steepled his fingers together and started staring back. He was the one to give up though, and though his voice was gruff with disuse a gentle smile curled his lips, and he spoke with an accent I had never heard before,  
"Alright, what are you doing?" I beamed a grin at him and his attention at last and answered calmly,  
"I'm watching you." He chuckled as he relaxed a little more in to his seat,"I've noticed, but come on what for?" I hugged Oliver as I replied with an honest,  
"I like you." He furrowed his brow,  
"Odd way of showing it." I just sat there and smiled at him. He glanced back at his screen and then looked back at me, though his eyes were completely black there was a sincere gentility there, "I don't have time to play right now, I have work to do." I deflated a little but I managed to mumble a genuine,  
"It's okay, I understand." He stared at me for a few more seconds, before slowly he turned back to his screen. A sudden realisation hit me though, and immediately I interrupted in a little voice,  
"Um, excuse me?" His smile returned and without even a drop of venom in his voice he turned to me,  
"Yes?" I was probably blushing, I probably shouldn't have interrupted but I really need to know,  
"What's your name?" His laugh was a deep, drawling sound, then he reached out a hand,  
"My name's Vincent." I shook it and smiled, then silently he pressed a finger to his lips in a shush and content for now with just a name I sat in happy silence as I watched him work.

And as years rolled by I grew closer to Vincent, who became more than just a friend, but the closest thing to a father I had ever had. And it wasn't long until I was spending every day with him and he was in charge of all of my tests and check-ups, insisting that he be the one to do it. It was him who would tell me goodnight, play games with me, and he was the one who bought me a CD-player and an Annie disc he apparently found. Though he soon grew to hate that disc and eventually bought me a few more just for some diversity. Often I would be found to be sitting in his lap reading a book as he worked, well, until I was too big anyway. And he wasn't shy about hugs. I learnt all sorts of things about the world through, and one day he even told me about what the 'earlier days' of the Midwest were like.  
"How long ago was all this, Vincent?"  
"Oh, that was back in the 1890's."  
"You're really old!"  
"Not as old as some. But I will tell you this, medicine has come a long way since I was a boy."  
"What was your family like?"  
"Well…Do want to know about my parents or my wife and daughter?"  
"You have a wife? And a daughter?"  
"Well, had, had, love. Past tense." "Alice was my school sweetheart until I finally had the courage to propose to her. She was, well an interesting woman of that age, very independent and feisty. Our daughter Eva, turned out to be exactly like her."  
"How long has it been since you've seen them?"  
"A…Well a very long time." His eyes lose their luster and a sad emptiness slides over them."They…They weren't ever like me or the other doctors here. I made a mistake, and I paid for it." He quickly clears his throat, straightens himself and smiles down warmly,"But it's all water under the bridge now and I just have to focus on what I do have, and I have you to look after don't I?"

Come to think of it, I guess my childhood was pretty good all things considered. I mean, I did have Vincent. But that innocence and naivety that I held for my situation would be torn from me on the day I would celebrate being approximately eighteen.

I was barely even awake when I heard voices outside of my little glass room. I only had just managed to stand when an all too familiar man walked in, blue eyes shining bright with excitement. But I didn't like the way the air suddenly grew icy and still as he neared. Or that smile on his face. Something was off and I knew it. Silently I stood there, as tension seemed to pour out of me and in to him.  
"What, no hello?" He chuckled as he stopped just in front of me and whispered, "You're almost there, Vivian. Almost there." He started clapping slowly…and the doctors locked the door…They've never locked the door before. "Congratulations! You've made it to the final stage of your treatment!" I didn't like the look in his eyes, or the way he was licking his lips, "Not many of the others did, I'm glad you didn't disappoint me…yet."  
"…There are others here?"  
"Always have been, kid." He smiled as he glanced me over, "You know, you're dressed exactly the way you were when I found you." He licked his lips again as his eyes began to roam along what skin I was showing, "Kind of adds meaning to this special day though, yeah?" Then I saw them, glinting dangerously, just peeking out from under his lips. Fangs. "Happy birthday." And then all I could feel was pain, burning everywhere and I could feel-literally feel his venom crawling its way through my system. And something else, something else was happening, and as I trembled and lay on the floor in a pool of my blood I watch his feet leave the room, and even as the doctors laid me on to my back and attempted to stop the bleeding, as Vincent fervently asked me if I was okay repeatedly, begging that I would answer him, as a new intense hunger burned through me, I watched those feet until they disappeared.

Like magic.

Then the dark took me. I don't know how long it wad till I woke up. But everything was different. Not just the room, but everything seemed different, wrong almost. Where was I? What happened? I sort of fell off of the strangely shaped bed, and stumbled as I tried to remember how to walk. There was little light, yet it seemed too much. Everything hurt my head, everything sounded wrong, and I swear I could feel the dust floating in the air. And I couldn't yet remember ever falling asleep, or what I was doing before. It was just as I collapsed on to a wall for support that a static voice rang out through the room,  
"Vivian? Vivian are you alright?" I know that voice.  
"V-Vincent?"  
"Vivian, I'm sorry. If I had known, I would have warned you, but I suppose it's too late now."  
"Vincent, where are you?"  
"Look up here." I looked up further along the concrete wall I was using for support, to find a large window, and Vincent on the other side of it.  
"Vincent, why are you up there?"  
"I'm sorry, but there was a complication, the serum didn't work exactly as we planned and-"  
"We?"  
"Well, yes, Frost and I." Frost. I remember now, I remember him tearing me apart. "As I said there's been a complication and well, I'm not allowed down there…and you're not allowed up." "I'm sorry, I truly am, if I had the authority I'd get you out of there in a heartbeat you know I would. But, how do I phrase it. You're, well, you're kind of sick again. In a way you're not really sick, just a little different and we're trying to fix it. Honest, I'm working like a madman up here but in the meantime…You need to rest, and be safe…down there." His voice is strained, emotional, but it's a whirring sound that captivates my attention as a panel from a wall starts moving. "Also," An Iv bag, full of blood emerges. "You uh, you have a few things you're going to have to learn about yourself." Right then, in that exact moment, I hated everything. I hated that bag of blood, I hated this room, I hated Vincent. I hated the man I never met, I hated the parents I never knew, I hated the world for having done this to me. Left me all alone and cold again…But most of all, I hated Frost.

And as time slowly crawled by, I hated him more than anything. I had near worshipped him, the man who saved me from what I thought was a fate worse than death, only for him to take hell to a new level for me. He's changed me. I grew distant from even Vincent as I shrunk in on myself. The concrete cell was icy to the touch and the air bit in cold drafts. I had very little, with only a small thin blanket I always kept wrapped around myself, and Oliver who never left my arms. The only reprieve front the constant cold was the warm blood that would appear from the walls, well, except the blood was always cold when I got it. It was just warmer than the room itself. I don't want to be alone, I'm scared, and I'm cold. I'm not getting better. And it's all too familiar. I spend my days trying to dream of something better.

One night, there is thunking coming from the walls. Then there is warmth as an unseen pair of arms wraps me in a blanket. I blink a few times, to check that I'm awake. Turning my head, I stare in to the deep ink wells that served as Vincent's eyes. He's quickly looking me over, checking my vitals. Then after pulling me to my feet he rushes me down the halls, the lights were off, and everyone must have been dead asleep at this hour of the night. I pass by cells…and what I see there scares me. Men, women, and even a child. And memories of needles trickle in. All of them were ghostly white, all drooling as they watched us pass, a manic, feral glare in their eyes…the child immediately tried to wrench the door off with its little hands, snarling and hissing like a wild beast. Scratches all over his face, emaciated, and angry I stared in horror. And Vincent picked me up and carried me out, but my eyes were fixed on the doors, were these the 'others'? Was I…Was I… My thoughts were interrupted as Vincent burst from the building and threw me in to the back seat of a car. I was still confused, why we were leaving? Why so quickly? He dove in to the front seat and floored it, speeding off down the road. And it wasn't until a loud boom and rumbling sound erupted from behind us and the car jolted I realised why. Turning my head I watched the building crumble as debris crashed around us, completely engulfed in flames. And I could hear the screaming.

Sometimes I swear I still hear them.


	12. 11: The Girl Who Didn't Exist part ii

Vincent kept me safe from then on, but things weren't easy. Our relationship became very complicated. He was ashamed of what he had been a part of, and I still hated him for it. He tried to cure me, he tried _so hard_ to cure me, but even he couldn't defeat his own creation. When I realised what had been done to me couldn't be undone, I grew angrier. I didn't even have Oliver for comfort anymore, having lost him sometime during the chaos of that last night. It was like who I was before, the quiet little girl, was gone and all that was left was a monster. It made me so very **angry**… Every night I dreamt of a cold, piercing laugh, the twisted, perverse smile and the rabid eyes of the man who had ruined me. I guess one day I just, snapped.

I started to track him down, found out what he owned, what he ran, and I destroyed all that I could… At first it was completely random, attacking any vampire I could get my hands on. I murdered, **slaughtered**. _**Ravaged**_. Ate men alive and tore them apart while they were still screaming. I've done things I'm not proud of, but I didn't care then. I was so consumed by the idea of revenge that it made me unfeeling of anything but hatred. But ever slowly I got closer to him. The man who had ruined me.

Except that one day when they came. Whistler and Blade. That day I remembered both fear, and compassion. They found me tearing through one of Frost's clubs, and chased me all over the city as we fought. But practiced technique overcame raw power, and it was soon that I found myself bruised and beaten, depending on a wall for support. Whistler raised his gun slowly, purposefully, and aimed it at my head. I thought that maybe this would be it, this would be the way I die. An estranged animal trapped in a corner, someone no one would miss. But the shot never came. I'm not sure what Whistler saw in me that day. Maybe he saw that I was afraid and angry, maybe he saw the same thing in me that he saw in Blade all those years ago…maybe he didn't see anything at all. But he saved me, showed me how to fight properly and how to control myself. Funny to think now, that it was a gruff old man who turned out to be exactly what I needed to finally see the world for what a wonderful place it _can_ be.

So I worked with them. Vincent didn't approve when I finally got back in contact with him, which he was pissed about it being so long at that. But he didn't stop me, understanding that I needed this, the support, the understanding… the escape from the past. Because I was finally doing something worthwhile…Whistler even convinced me to look for this Dragonetti, to search for the man and woman who were my biological parents…I began to hope, that if I could just find this Dragonetti, if I could find my parents…than maybe I could still live a normal life. And though I began to spend more time on this search for a man who proved to be very elusive…

It didn't mean I had forgotten about Frost…or revenge.

So when the day finally came that I could finally destroy that cold-hearted bastard who used me as a science project, those selfish feelings returned.  
"Remember you're just looking for Karen, I'll deal with Frost." I clenched my jaw and ignored the funny-tasting liquid that began to dribble from the corner of my lips,  
"She's _your_ woman friend, why am I stuck playing 'rescue the damsel'." He shoved a messy bundle of wires none too gently in to my chest,  
"Because you're good at getting in close undetected, and I'm not." I tried not to rip apart the little cables as I wired my body with the listening devices and hissed with little restraint,  
"Not being trigger happy helps you know, but I've been waiting two years for this Blade."  
"When you find Karen activate this and I'll come find you." "You saw how bad he messed up Whistler. But the difference between you and me is, I can see past that. I can control myself."  
"The difference between me and you Blade, is you were born different." I clutched at my chest, "And he **made** me this way." His face was indifferent, but his voice dripped with antagonism as he left,  
"**And look how you've let him get to you**." My knuckles turned white with the effort I put in to not crushing the ear piece as I was sure to growl in to the microphone as hatefully as I could,  
**"Fuck you, Blade."**

I was still livid at my situation by the time I pulled up in to where I'd stash my Vespa and infiltrate Frost's fortress of a hideout through climbing all the way up from the top floor of a nearby building. But just knowing how close I was to him seemed to only incense me further and I started to shift not through my will but through the pure undiluted waves of hatred that rolled through me. I didn't even feel my bones begin to break, elongate and rebuild themselves as I slid off my boots. As my hands started to curl and nails sharpened I took a deep breath at the sizeable leap between me and Frost's building. I need to focus on getting up there alive before I get myself too worked up. I've never attempted to scale a skyscraper with my bare hands before. But with no hesitation I sprinted to the edge of the concrete roof and threw myself off, legs pulled back and ready as I opened my arms and braced myself. Once my feet were flat against the building I used the momentum to push myself up, and let my clawed hands scrabble for purchase on to the window sills as I passed them by, keeping myself as close to and moving as quickly as possible up on the side of the massive glass and concrete building. The wind beat against and nearly deafened me as I tried my hardest not to fall off the bloody thing, my regenerative abilities were pretty damn good, but I wasn't going to test them against a thousand foot fall. However the slight distraction of considering the damages such a fall could inflict distracted me enough that one of my hands slipped and the other lost grip.

Those few seconds of free-fall were perhaps the most terrifying moments of my life as I quickly lunged forward, once more gripping the building. I didn't even pause to catch my breath as I continued to scale the building. The minute I grasped that last ledge I used it as leverage to practically throw myself in to the safety of the apartment's balcony. Well _there_ was something I hope to never do again. Only then did I allow myself the luxury of taking some time to calm down, and to decide that I really did prefer to have my feet on the ground.

I gathered myself together, and straightened as a familiar scent washed over me. This whole damn place reeked of Deacon Frost. Something was awoken in me, and I completely forgot all about Karen, Blade, the whole damn world faded away. All there was, was the room I know stood in. I didn't even register what colour the furnishings were, all I could focus on was the freshest trail that the one man I truly hated with all my heart had recently left behind. **Very recently**.

And almost as if in a trance, I began to blindly follow. The hallways became brighter, painfully so against my sensitive eyes, but I kept walking. As I neared the only lit room at the end of the hall, I didn't even realise that the dull thumping sound coming from me was the sound of huge metal doors shutting behind me…that is until it was too late and by the time I turned, I was already trapped in the room. The lights in the room suddenly cut out…and a huge TV screen flickered to life.

And the distinct clicking of a tape began to play.

It was dusk, the sun had not yet risen but there was plenty light to set the rocky beach a glow. Deacon Frost swiftly removed the bag from the bastard Dragonetti's head, greeting him with an enthusiastic, "Morning!" The pureblood blinked a few times as his head lolled slightly, trace amounts of the sedatives still clearly in his system. "How are you feeling?" It appeared that he quickly came to his senses though as Frost loosened and removed the tie from the elderly vampire's neck. Good, he wanted him to be clear headed and really feel this. He mockingly placed an arm around the other's shoulders and surveyed the horizon, he could already see the first ember rays of the sun peeking out. "Look at that! Phew, getting a little toasty out here, huh?" Well he wouldn't know, he had plenty of sunscreen on, but smoke was started to roll out from underneath Dragonetti's suit. He smirked at that. Finally, finally this hypocritic, prejudiced old fucker was going to get what's coming to him. He had waited years for this day. He turned back to the sky and held up a hand, "When was the last time you stopped to appreciate a good sunrise?" He immediately turned back to the scowling face, and with fake disappointment he pretended to recall, "Oh that's right. You were a born a vampire, so you've never had the pleasure of seeing one. Well it's all right. At least we're here together, to share the moment." He changed his tone subtly, "Which means a lot to me, really." He removed his hand to fidget with the elder's blazer, "Because actually you know, when you get to know me, I'm a very sentimental guy," He roughly ripped off the suit jacket, a purposeful meaning being laced with his tongue, "Bit of an _innocent_, really." He started to unbutton the shirt, only to hear a hiss from the bastard,  
"Do what you want Frost, it doesn't make any difference." He hesitated for a moment, then glared as he ripped open the shirt.

"You just don't fucking get it, do you?" "Romans 5:12?" Jesus fucking Christ, he seriously didn't remember did he? Frost licked his lips as he drew dangerously close and whispered, "Romans 5:12. Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." "Nice touch, you know, having a bible verse about innocence as a password to a little girl's door." As quick as a viper's strike Dragonetti's eyes narrowed and a venomous hiss dripping with rage seeped in to the air,

"_You_ took her." The addressee shook it off casually, a sly smile slithering across his face,  
"Oh? So you do remember her? Well, personally, at one point I honestly thought you would guess it was me. But looks like I was wrong. Guess she didn't really mean that much to you though after all. I never once even so much as had to move her for thirteen years, not a word did anyone hear from you that she was missing. Guess your kid was just another skeleton in the closet for you."  
"She wasn't mine." His voice lowered as he looked smugly at him, this was exactly the ugliness of out-dated views that disgusted him about purebloods.  
"Oh but she was under you guardianship though, wasn't she? Hate to point this out but, even from my perspective, locking her in a room to rot was cold." In one last mock of affection for the man, he gently laid a hand on his shoulder and smiled, "Well don't worry, I took good care of her." His eyes took on a feral glint as his fangs scraped along his bottom lip, "She was exquisite." Mercury silently handed him a pair of pliers, and the manic animosity only brightened as he instructed, "Hold him."

There was a pained scream just as the screen turned black.

…Dragonetti…The only known man with any knowledge of my actual origins was gone. And all hopes of a normal life with it. I clenched my fists, well so be it. That was it, my last hope, gone. Frost had destroyed that too…and with his screams for mercy he would pay for it. But just as the lights came on, a hissing filled the air as clouds began to roll from a number of vents around the room…Then there it was, that FUCKING laugh I hadn't missed in the slightest. I didn't need an introduction to know exactly who it belonged to.  
"You know, I've kinda missed you kid. There just, has been a bit of an emptiness in my life since you've been gone." "But I could have sworn you were smarter than this? Maybe Whistler and Blade knocked you in the head one too many times during your training sessions." "Oh Vivian, I've been watching you and that pathetic duo of so called hunters you've been living with lately for quite some time now. I've known that you're still alive, for quite some time." Whatever was filling the room was beginning to have an effect of me and I began to sway as the room spun, I only managed to choke out,  
"How?"  
"Well, finding this little guy on the side of the road just outside of where the labs used to be amongst the rubble was my first clue." What was he going on about? "Oliver, I think his name is." My eyes widened…so I had dropped him that night. "If you had been burned to a crisp, he wouldn't have been lying so far away from your cell in near pristine condition. You'd been wondering where he was for some time haven't you? That's why I kept it, so I could give it back to you personally. You know, right after I take full control of La Magra, dominate the world…" I fell on all fours as I struggled to stay conscious, "And kill you, **personally**." My head fell as I finally collapsed and my eyes began to flutter shut.

"Nothing personal. It's just that you're a little too unpredictable to keep around."

I next awoke to the soft light of candles, and to my shock, looking straight in to the old button eyes of a singed Oliver. I immediately tried to sit up, but found that not only was I restrained, but I was too weak to lift any more than perhaps an inch.  
"Don't tire yourself out too soon kid, there's no use. You've been sedated." A hand appeared from the side of the bed and rested on my head, and the touch made my skin crawl and my stomach drop. A quiet hiss flowed over my lips as I tried to pull away from the contact,  
"…_**DEACON**_."  
"I just thought I'd check in on you. So, how do you like it?" He motioned around to the dimly lit room, "Because I want you to be comfortable in these next few hours. So just take the time to relax and enjoy what time you have left. I've even got a show all set up for you." He clicked a remote on a nearby table and a TV screen immediately came to life, a live-feed of what appeared to be a very old temple came to view, it was being prepared for no doubt whatever ritual Frost was going to resurrect La Magra through. "What you think Blondie, I can clean up an old ruin pretty good, huh?" Off handedly, I smile, and let a slow drawl escape me,  
"Do you like, _magic tricks_, Deacon?" He turned his gaze back to me and narrowed his eyes, "Because I can make all this…" I let my eyes roam offer the luxe room and the feed of the temple before returning to meet Frost's steely gaze with my own, "Disappear." He leant close, close enough that I could feel his cold breath roll over my face like an icy caress as he hissed,  
"Did I ever tell you, that you were always my favourite?" He was so close now our faces were almost touching, "It'll be such a shame to kill a pretty little thing like you." And with that he left.

I didn't see him again until he appeared on the screen, they were ready. As he stood in the circle, he turned to the camera, and gavea knowing smile as he spoke to the room full of vampires. And even though I kept tugging at my restraints, all I could do for now was watch. Soon a dark crimson begin to flow along the ceiling. I needed to get out, I needed to stop it now. The drug was wearing off, but not fast enough and I was running out of time. But then the drop of blood landed on Deacon's forehead, and as the temple lit up with glowing runes and winged creatures began to claw their way out from the sacrificed elder's bodies, I found the strength to tear my restraints off the bed. Quickly I rose to my feet and completely disregarded that fact that all I was wearing was a lacy night gown and long white socks. I ran down halls, trying to catch a familiar scent, all I could hear was a clock ticking. Blade was nowhere in sight, and the ritual was almost complete.

I needed to get to Frost NOW.

When I finally happened upon the scent of fresh blood, I focused completely on it and slid around corners, crashed in to walls and nearly tripped over my still drugged body as I hazily made my way to the temple. But when I finally broke out in to the light…

It was too late. I watched Blade jab the last needle in to Frost's bloating body.

It's all blurry from there. All I remember was staring in to the nothing…emptiness. Frost was gone, I should have felt happy, elated even. But I felt nothing, not even a small spark of joy. Days passed by and all I did was sharpen my knives and sit on my bed. I still felt like I was waiting for that release, that moment when it would finally click in my brain that the man I truly despised to the very essence of his being was dead. Gone. Fucking exploded in to tiny little pieces. But it never came, nothing I changed. I was just empty.

And then I realised…I had let myself fall in to a state where my only desire was to be the one to kill him. To be the one to drive that fucking final needle in to him and watch as his eyes filled with the fear and pain of being destroyed from the inside out…that…it took not being the one to do it to realise the bigger picture. Frost wasn't just _my_ tormentor, I wasn't his only victim. And he would have had a lot more if he hadn't been stopped. My revenge meant nothing compared to the safety of every innocent still left in this world. I thought I had changed, that I had gotten better. But all I wanted was to see him _suffer_. I had been _**obsessed**_ with it. **I had been no better than him**.

…Well…

He was gone…and now I was free to _be_ better. I'll keep on fighting, but not for me, but for those who are oblivious to the dangers lurking in the shadows of every alley in the middle of the night.

As if on cue right then there was a crash from the alley outside, running with knife in hand I quickly checked the security cameras. Nothing showed up. Then there was a loud crash from behind the screens and hissing. Just as I raised the knife and leaned over...I saw a scarred, flea infested old cat tangled up in the wires. I slowly put the knife down and stared,  
"How did you even get in here?" It began flailing around desperately, only tangling itself further. There was something eerily familiar about this situation. I cooed softly as I slowly moved closer. He tried to swipe my hand and started to tremble, his fur on end. Yes. This was a very familiar image. "It's alright, I won't you." I started to softly scratch just behind his ears as I began to unwind the mess of cables. His trembling stopped but he still looked around with wild eyes. But when the last wire fell from my hand he didn't flee. He lay there, alert, but no longer in a panic. In fact, he crawled a little closer, and curled up in to my neck with a faint purr. I let my arms fold around him as I whispered soothing encouragements. He crawled in to my lap and curled up there, content to nap on something warm while being stroked. He was incredibly skinny and was surely in poor health, but after all that fight, he turned out to be a big sook. Looking down at him I smiled, "Well, what am I going to do with you." I noted he mask around his eyes, "...Shades."

And it was at that time that I realised, there was still people out there who needed help. Vampires and humans could both be terrible, but among them both were innocents to be preyed on. I wasn't going to be a monster anymore.

I decided to kill only to **protect** what remained of the innocents of Prague.


End file.
